Have you ever given thought to that great quote from the late President Harry Truman?
"The buck stops here."
I had to wonder something about this...I was writing an unpublished blog about the economic DEPRESSION we've been experiencing the past two-and-a-half years, and in light of the new federal deficit limit having been raised again this week, I wondered about the almighty dollar, the buck, and if it were to stop at The White House for a few minutes --- just what would it say?
If, as Harry Truman says, the buck stops "here" - I guess meaning The White House - what is it saying this week? Here's a transcript of the dollar meeting with the media.
Dollar (on the White House lawn, holding court with CBS, ABC, FOX, NBC, CNN, AP, MetroSource --- no, wait, they didn't send anyone from Phoenix --- they forced a CBS cameraman to give them audio, USA Today, the Christian Science Monitor, and the rest of the gigantic media pool): "Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen of the media. I won't be taking any questions, just a simple address because I am supposed to stop here at the White House now and then to have the president take a look at me before I go to Capitol Hill --- actually, I think it is capital hill these days --- where I will then pass through the congressional record on the way to a brief stop up at Wall Street. (the dollar pauses for the camera clicks and a couple of laughs from the media) Wow, look at me. I don't go as far as the Euro. I yearn to be as good as the Yen. Did you know that compared to this month 10 years ago, I am probably really worth about 86 cents? Well, I know I've heard conflicting stories about my value --- but I know this much about Americans: they're more concerned about keeping me in their wallets than ever before, but yet they keep putting their faith in plastic money worth less than my Washington-faced paper. I just don't get it. I hope that by 2012 I can once again be worth what I was in 2000. But it remains to be seen if the U.S. Treasury will figure out a way to make me a valued commodity again.
I'm sorry I don't have time to take your questions at this point. I must go meet with the Secretary of Commerce before we see the President. Have a nice afternoon."
Somehow, I think that dollar has a valid point or two. But, hey --- at least he used some humor while discussing the economy. We could all use a bit of humor, considering the global economic condition at the outset of 2010.
I can almost hear a reporter who has been "laid off" three different times in the 21st Century yelling from the back of the media pool, "You go, dollar!"
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Saturday, April 18, 2009
St. Louis: Anti-Progress Is Showing
To start, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has maybe a few months left before it folds. It could be weeks away from its demise, and those who have regularly been forced to read the only daily newspaper --- IE the citizens of our region --- already know that it's taken a severe turn for the worse over the past 20 years. It was 20 years ago when the city of St. Louis had two daily newspapers, albeit briefly, in the Post-Dispatch and the St. Louis Sun (remember it's one-year run as the tabloid-style newspaper? I do --- I was a subscriber from Day 1 to it's final day of publication). Sadly, the Sun was entering the world at a time when daily newspapers were struggling due to economic conditions. It's a similar and in many ways a tougher world for newsprint these days. After all, here I am working online, getting readers to see what I have to say about things around our region, and there are numerous sources for news between the radio, TV, and online newspapers, all vying for the audience of a printed word. This is not to say that all newspapers are doomed --- that is prematurely calling something dead the way atheists say Christianity is dead --- it just don't make it so if you say it.
However --- I am saying it about the Post-Dispatch --- it is all but dead now.
The latest reason to see it's in the final days is evident in the online criticisms over the recent firing of columnist Sylvester Brown Jr. --- with only a brief statement showing its complete inability to make a case against Brown as an explanation. You do not have to read between the lines of their statement to see that they only thing which happened was he did not fit the management's way of doing things: in other words, he actually did his job in the correct way and made waves by stating the obvious and reporting it in his columns. To say that Sylvester Brown Jr. has his critics is to state the obvious. His critics don't want him talking. And many of them include perceived heavy-hitters who are aligned with the weak-minded politicians in power in city government. Yes --- I am at liberty to say that many of the politicians in St. Louis City and County are weak-minded. I don't work for them, nor would I pull the slam from the pages of my own blog or newspaper if they asked me to do so --- I calls it as I sees it...and I sees that there are limp-headed numbskulls running much of the city government because they did what the kings and queens and bishops and generals were doing 250 years ago --- finding a way to conquer through monetary means and being in charge. I'm no fool to these people. I know how to report their shenanigans on the new technologies --- and they can read about themselves from time to time in my columns and those of countless others. It is ONE reason that so many of them will fall from power in the next five years.
Now --- I'm holding back ever so slightly right now because I am a person who works in the media industry and the current sets of kings and queens occasionally have employed me. This still does NOT mean that I am going to side with them and be quiet. But I will be as fair as I can be when not being threatened by them.
Being threatened --- well, that only increases the likelihood that someone who is "powerful" or "rich" becomes the target of my RobinHoodesque-writings when they are doing a perceived or actual wrong (sorry, dear brother Robin). You see --- I WILL state a perceived wrong and try to follow it thoroughly until it is either proved or disproved as a reality instead of mere perception. And for the moment --- it appears the city of St. Louis' leaders are all about killing their own. After more than 10 years, I moved out of the city.
Revelation of revelations: the city is poised to lose hundreds of its newer citizens because it is talking about its progress...and showing it's assinine side. IF the city wants to spearhead an effort on something progressive, it should include someone like Sylvester Brown Jr. in the LEAD ROLE of those who can see both sides of the race issue. Race issues are perceived as progressive. In fact, our world has changed dramatically since 1968, so this perception is somewhat reality. Barack Obama became the president of the United States of America --- proof to many of us that race is not as "severe" a factor to how things can be accomplished in 2009. But make no mistake --- St. Louis is a RACIALLY DIVIDED CITY. No matter what Mayor Francis Slay, chief of staff Jeff Rainford, and countless city "leaders" say --- there has been less progress made locally over the past five years than during the 1990s. That's not saying it is the fault of the mayor or his staff. It just is what it is, and we need to make sure that the dialogue is spurred. It's too bad that it appears --- rightly or wrongly --- that the mayor's staff may have had something to do with Sylvester Brown Jr.'s disappearance from the pages of the Post-Disgrace. But, we know that the perceived realities will eventually show up one way or another. The P-D is but a puppet piece for some city politicians who are about to find out that they will have no puppet piece soon --- but will find out how difficult it is to be in the 21st Century where the average citizen can show how disenfranchised they feel by the power of the holyshit politics in St. Louis City. Something is not right near the intersection of I-44/I-55/I-70 --- and those in charge seem to not notice they are steering things into the flood wall.
For now, the reality is: Lee Enterprises bought a ship that they have only helped sink, in a city where the politicians are all praying that they will still be able to use the editors and writers for many years to come. That won't happen unless they bail out the P-D...and I'm not seeing THAT happen.
The Post-Dispatch will die soon. Will its final printing be in 2009 or 2010?
However --- I am saying it about the Post-Dispatch --- it is all but dead now.
The latest reason to see it's in the final days is evident in the online criticisms over the recent firing of columnist Sylvester Brown Jr. --- with only a brief statement showing its complete inability to make a case against Brown as an explanation. You do not have to read between the lines of their statement to see that they only thing which happened was he did not fit the management's way of doing things: in other words, he actually did his job in the correct way and made waves by stating the obvious and reporting it in his columns. To say that Sylvester Brown Jr. has his critics is to state the obvious. His critics don't want him talking. And many of them include perceived heavy-hitters who are aligned with the weak-minded politicians in power in city government. Yes --- I am at liberty to say that many of the politicians in St. Louis City and County are weak-minded. I don't work for them, nor would I pull the slam from the pages of my own blog or newspaper if they asked me to do so --- I calls it as I sees it...and I sees that there are limp-headed numbskulls running much of the city government because they did what the kings and queens and bishops and generals were doing 250 years ago --- finding a way to conquer through monetary means and being in charge. I'm no fool to these people. I know how to report their shenanigans on the new technologies --- and they can read about themselves from time to time in my columns and those of countless others. It is ONE reason that so many of them will fall from power in the next five years.
Now --- I'm holding back ever so slightly right now because I am a person who works in the media industry and the current sets of kings and queens occasionally have employed me. This still does NOT mean that I am going to side with them and be quiet. But I will be as fair as I can be when not being threatened by them.
Being threatened --- well, that only increases the likelihood that someone who is "powerful" or "rich" becomes the target of my RobinHoodesque-writings when they are doing a perceived or actual wrong (sorry, dear brother Robin). You see --- I WILL state a perceived wrong and try to follow it thoroughly until it is either proved or disproved as a reality instead of mere perception. And for the moment --- it appears the city of St. Louis' leaders are all about killing their own. After more than 10 years, I moved out of the city.
Revelation of revelations: the city is poised to lose hundreds of its newer citizens because it is talking about its progress...and showing it's assinine side. IF the city wants to spearhead an effort on something progressive, it should include someone like Sylvester Brown Jr. in the LEAD ROLE of those who can see both sides of the race issue. Race issues are perceived as progressive. In fact, our world has changed dramatically since 1968, so this perception is somewhat reality. Barack Obama became the president of the United States of America --- proof to many of us that race is not as "severe" a factor to how things can be accomplished in 2009. But make no mistake --- St. Louis is a RACIALLY DIVIDED CITY. No matter what Mayor Francis Slay, chief of staff Jeff Rainford, and countless city "leaders" say --- there has been less progress made locally over the past five years than during the 1990s. That's not saying it is the fault of the mayor or his staff. It just is what it is, and we need to make sure that the dialogue is spurred. It's too bad that it appears --- rightly or wrongly --- that the mayor's staff may have had something to do with Sylvester Brown Jr.'s disappearance from the pages of the Post-Disgrace. But, we know that the perceived realities will eventually show up one way or another. The P-D is but a puppet piece for some city politicians who are about to find out that they will have no puppet piece soon --- but will find out how difficult it is to be in the 21st Century where the average citizen can show how disenfranchised they feel by the power of the holyshit politics in St. Louis City. Something is not right near the intersection of I-44/I-55/I-70 --- and those in charge seem to not notice they are steering things into the flood wall.
For now, the reality is: Lee Enterprises bought a ship that they have only helped sink, in a city where the politicians are all praying that they will still be able to use the editors and writers for many years to come. That won't happen unless they bail out the P-D...and I'm not seeing THAT happen.
The Post-Dispatch will die soon. Will its final printing be in 2009 or 2010?
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