AP Beginning New Crack Down on Blog Critics?
February 29, 2008 | Filed Under Blogging, Democrats/Leftists, Inernet, Media Bias, News, Publius Contributor, Security/Safety, Society/Culture, Technology, Warner Todd Huston | 1 Comment
-By Warner Todd Huston
AP Shuts Down Blogger With Threats of Legal Action
Well, here is what might be a landmark case for the blogosphere, for the Internet, and for the future of our new media, citizen journalism. The AP has just sent a cease and desist letter to Brian C. Ledbetter telling him to stop using their copyrighted images on his website, snappedshot.com.
Snappedshot.com is a site predicated on criticism of photo-journalism. In pursuit of his criticism, Mr. Ledbetter uses photos from across the web that he thinks are doctored or misleading in some way. He then reports his opinion on the bias he sees therein.
Because of this pending legal action, snappedshot.com is now been placed on hiatus until the situation can be cleared up.
So, here is the issue facing us, folks: can we use copyrighted material under the commonly observed fair usage rules without getting hauled into court? After all, Mr. Ledbetter was not making money from his website and he used those photos in order to critique them, not to enrich himself. That would seem to be the very definition of fair use, would it not?
Now it comes down to whether use of the AP’s photos in order to do social commentary and criticism is fair enough to be considered fair use?
Worse, if this tactic works, can it not be used by every mainstream news source out there to silence criticism of them?
I say we have the makings of an important ruling on whether we bloggers are free to criticize the MSM without being dragged in to court at the whim of any MSM bigwig.
We’ll try to follow this story and see where it goes.
Angelina Jolie’s Call for US to ‘Stay in Iraq’?
February 29, 2008 | Filed Under Foreign Policy, Islam, Islamofascism, Media Bias, Military, News, Publius Contributor, Security/Safety, War on Terror, Warner Todd Huston | No Comments
-By Warner Todd Huston
In a recent editorial published in the Washington Post, an unusual call for the USA to stay in Iraq rang out with pleas for the US to commit even more money and resources to help rebuild that war torn nation. Published under the byline of Angelina Jolie, the piece said that, “we have finally reached a point where humanitarian assistance, from us and others, can have an impact.” This editorial is unusual because the Washington Post is usually filled with tales of how we have failed in Iraq and how we should just get out, but here is this one saying we are now at a place where leaving would be the worst thing we could do. One wonders if this article will find the name of Angelina Jolie used as an epithet by the get-out-now, anti-war set from among the netrooters and the MSM? Or will her celebrity and long standing interest in humanitarian efforts give her cover with the same sort of people?
What ever treatment we’ll see meted out by the far left to the Hollywood star who’s name graces this interesting piece, the fact that a call has been made to stay in Iraq by someone other than the conservative movement here is interesting if not amazing. It strikes a little heard note of optimism in news coverage that usually focuses only on the so-called failures of US forces in Iraq.
It should first be noted that this piece assumes the surge has worked. A few lines are also devoted to the feelings our troops have that the efforts in Iraq are neither fruitless or finished.
As for the question of whether the surge is working, I can only state what I witnessed: U.N. staff and those of non-governmental organizations seem to feel they have the right set of circumstances to attempt to scale up their programs. And when I asked the troops if they wanted to go home as soon as possible, they said that they miss home but feel invested in Iraq. They have lost many friends and want to be a part of the humanitarian progress they now feel is possible.
While it is certainly gratifying that this piece seriously calls for renewed commitment in Iraq, some of the assumptions made in the piece with Jolie’s byline are a bit overheated. In one part, the article claims that the “humanitarian crisis has not improved” in Iraq, but this is clearly not completely true.
The GOP Must Avoid Becoming Democrat Party Lite
February 29, 2008 | Filed Under Congress, Elections, GOP, Media Bias, News, Publius Contributor, Security/Safety, Society/Culture, Warner Todd Huston | No Comments
-By Warner Todd Huston
After the disastrous loss of majority status that befell the Republicans in Congress with the results of the 2006 midterm elections, conservative members of the GOP — and even a few not so conservative — began floating a new sound bite mantra. We have “lost our brand” became the meme as House members fanned out to the media in an attempt to reassure the rank and file that they had realized their mistakes, were chastened, and were about to “take it back.”
The biggest focus of that “lost brand” was that of fiscal responsibility. Wild Congressional earmarks, “bridges to no where,” and waste became a hallmark of the Republican Congress and many Republicans believed that this was one of the main reasons that Republicans lost the support of the electorate. In a reversal of the conventional wisdom some polls even showed that Americans had come to trust the Democrats in spending more than they did Republicans.
Florida Republican Adam H. Putnam told the Pittsburg Tribune-Review back on March 31st of 2007 that it was time to get serious.
“I think a key reason was the issues of corruption, where we had a bumper crop of scandals and incompetence. … Americans lost the sense that Republicans brought a commonsense, business-like manner to governing (and that) undermined our brand.
It was further undermined by a sense that we had lost our way on fiscal responsibility. So when people went into those voting booths, they really felt disenchanted with a party that they perceived to have lost its way. We were seen as being petty. We were seen as being only in it for ourselves. We had stopped talking about big, bold ideas. We had stopped talking about relevant solutions — and we paid for it. “
In November of 2007, former RNC chairman Mel Martinez told Ronald Kessler, “When I look at polls and they show that the American people trust the Democrats more than the Republicans on spending, it shows us how we’ve lost our brand. We’ve got to get our brand back.”
This idea of taking the brand back even made itself into a new organization of conservative Congressmen called Reagan21. With this new caucus of sorts, the *members of Reagan21 wish to assure us all that they are still committed to Reagan’s vision of government.
New Jersey Mayor Indicted for Corruption…’Democrat or Not?’
February 29, 2008 | Filed Under Crime, Democrats/Leftists, Government, Corruption, Media Bias, News, Publius Contributor, Society/Culture, Warner Todd Huston | No Comments
-By Warner Todd Huston
Former Newark, New Jersey Mayor Sharpe James has been brought up on charges of corruption and the AP, The New York Times and several other outlets have all been reporting that jury selection for the event is underway this week. These news outlets dutifully reported the charges against James, reported his long political career, some have even reported how popular he was in office. Yet, not one of them remembered to mention he was a Democrat. So, today’s episode of “Democrat or Not?” leaves us right back where we usually are… with a story of corruption of a public official where his Democratic party affiliation is somehow not “relevant” to the story.
In two versions of the story the Associated press seems not to notice that Sharpe James is a Democrat (here and here).
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Former Newark Mayor Sharpe James is scheduled to appear in federal court today for the first of two federal corruption trials.
After being indicted in July, both James and his co-defendant, Tamika Riley, pleaded not guilty to all charges and are free on bail.
And what are the charges?
The first trial focuses on whether James, 72, arranged for the sale of nine city-owned properties at discounted rates to Riley, a woman nearly half his age with whom he traveled. Prosecutors said they will present evidence to show the two had an intimate personal relationship.
Prosecutors said James improperly steered properties to Riley, 38, and that she, with James’ help, quickly resold them at much higher prices. Riley was able to buy the properties although she lacked real estate, construction and financial experience to rehabilitate them, according to the indictment.
And where is his party affiliation mentioned….
Corruption Embroiled Union Gives Hillary Their Endorsement
February 29, 2008 | Filed Under Business, Crime, Democrats/Leftists, Elections, News, President, Publius Contributor, Society/Culture, Unions, Warner Todd Huston | No Comments
-By Warner Todd Huston
The New York Post gives us a reminder of the sort of shady characters that supports the Hillary Clinton campaign for president. Last week the New York carpenters union announced their support of Hillary Clinton and it should be pointed out that their head, Michael Forde, has been linked to mob corruption in his role as union head.
Forde and union business agent Martin Devereaux are set for trial Nov. 26 on charges they took bribes from contractors to allow nonunion, off-the-books labor on job sites.
Forde was originally indicted in a massive 2000 probe of mob influence in the construction industry. Among the 38 people charged was alleged Luchese crime family acting boss Steven (Stevie Wonder) Crea, who pleaded guilty to price fixing, labor racketeering, bid rigging and constraint of trade.
Forde and Devereaux were convicted in 2004 - facing up to 25 years in prison - but got their cases tossed after a judge ruled jurors improperly discussed the case before deliberating.
But there is another interesting thing with this endorsement. Unions claim that they are the ones more interested in “democracy” and are always looking out for “the little guy,” right? Well, it is interesting that the NY carpenters union with Forde in the lead held a secret, closed door meeting during which this endorsement was decided.
The meeting was an “eyebrow-raising, closed-door endorsement,” that “broke ranks with the national union,” as the Post put it. If unions are so much for “democracy” and all that, why the secret, closed door meeting?
Who can doubt that it is because the myth that unions are interested in democracy is and always has been a sham.
In any case, it is instructive to be reminded of what sort of character the Clintons surround themselves with.
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Modern-Day Moloch
February 29, 2008 | Filed Under Family, Morals/Sex, News, Publius Contributor, Religion, Society/Culture, Thomas Brewton | No Comments
-By Thomas E. Brewton
Worshipping the ancient Mediterranean god Moloch, and today’s liberal -progressivism, both require sacrificing children on the altar of self-centered materialism.
As G. K. Chesterton wrote in The Everlasting Man, ancient Rome’s great rival in the period of the republic was Carthage. Along with Tyre, at the eastern end of the Mediterranean, Carthage, in Chesterton’s characterization, was a Phoenician city-state dominated by commercial councils who cared little for spiritual religion based on principles of morality and benevolence. Everything was measured in money and goods, even propitiating the gods and seeking their favor.
Carthage’s principal deity was Moloch, a particular object of hatred by the Romans.
Rome’s deities were relatively benevolent, representing the spirit of home, hearth, and agriculture. In violent contrast, Moloch demanded of his worshippers a steady sacrifice of young babies, who were placed in the metal arms of Moloch’s image over a raging fire, where the infants were burned to death. In recent times, archaeologists excavating the site of ancient Carthage have uncovered altar sites surrounded by large numbers of human infant skeletons.
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