How Sarah Palin says she would have dealt with the oil spill, why white people in Santa Monica are dodging immigrant police, and why the EPA is after the Amish.
On a regular basis, Truthdig brings you the news items and odds and ends that found their way to Larry Gross, director of the USC Annenberg School for Communication. A specialist in media and culture, art and communication, visual communication and media portrayals of minorities, Gross helped found the field of gay and lesbian studies.
The links below open in a new window. Newer ones are on top.
SIGNS OF DEMI-SEMITISM
Because coverage of Jewish issues is so biased in the media, you are probably not aware of a J Street poll this spring of American Jews that found they had a more favorable opinion of Obama, Biden, Hillary Clinton, and the Democratic Party than they do of Netanyahu or Rabin.
If You Can’t Beat Them, Brand Them
The security firm formerly known as Blackwater is looking for new ownership, announcing Monday it is pursuing a sale of the company that became renowned and reviled for its involvement with the U.S. government in Iraq and elsewhere.
EPA Officials Target Amish Farmers
With simplicity as their credo, Amish farmers consume so little that some might consider them model environmental citizens.
Palin Claims She Could Have Handled Oil Spill
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin said President Barack Obama’s acknowledgment that he hasn’t directly spoken to BP’s chief executive shows it “bodes well to have some sort of executive experience before occupying the Oval Office.”
Harvard’s Fake-Harvard-Credit Business
I’ve gotten a few e-mails today complaining about the use of the word “fake” in my latest Chronicle column: “Harvard has the opposite of a brand deficit. It has a brand surplus. The name is so strong that Harvard can run a side business selling fake Harvard credits and nobody bats an eye.”
U. of California Tries Just Saying No to Rising Journal Costs
The University of California system has said “enough” to the Nature Publishing Group, one of the leading commercial scientific publishers, over a big proposed jump in the cost of the group’s journals.
Improving Sidewalk Traffic in NYC
Judge Walker’s Amazing Questions for Closing Argument
There was big news yesterday in California about “the trial of the century.” Judge Vaughn Walker today issued a series of questions ... for the parties to the federal Prop. 8 trial that began in January and was put on by Ted Olson and David Boies and colleagues and defended by the oxymoronic “Protect Marriage” proponents of Prop. 8.
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By tolle, June 10, 2010 at 9:29 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Mundt- Is your comment meant as an illustration of Poe’s Law?
Similar to Murphy’s Law, Poe’s Law concerns internet debates, particularly regarding religion or politics. “Without a winking smiley or other blatant display of humor, it is impossible to create a parody of Fundamentalism that SOMEONE won’t mistake for the real thing.” In other words, No matter how bizzare, outrageous, or just plain idiotic a parody of a Fundamentalist may seem, there will always be someone who cannot tell that it is a parody, having seen similar REAL ideas from real religious/political Fundamentalists.
Note I’m not calling you a fundamentalist or wingnut of any other stripe. I’m just asking if you’re serious.Near as I can tell Caribou Barbie’s ” expertise” begins and ends at shopping,tweetin, and fancy pageant walkin.
I think I fully understand your view and point, Fat.
I remember back in the days when Kodak was king of the photo business they had a disclaimer on every box of film… something to the effect of:
“Our liability and your only remedy if this film fails to perform to your expectations is to give you another box of film. It doesn’t matter whose fault it is that you don’t have any pictures, and it doesn’t matter that you spent $100,000 on that picture-taking African safari… we (Kodak) will not be held liable for any losses you incur… etc., etc. beyond giving you another box of film.” Don’t like these terms? Then don’t use Kodak film.
I venture to say that the overwhelming majority of doctors who’ve spent many, many years and hundreds of thousands of dollars to become as good a professional as they could be will take every precaution to “DO NO HARM.” But… they are human. They will make mistakes. If you don’t trust that the doctor will do his best… if his “best” just isn’t good enough for you… then DON’T GO TO THE DOCTOR.
I fail to understand how ADDING to the enormous stress of their jobs and responsibility by hanging never-ending but potentially career ending lawsuits over their heads, and ADDING to health care costs by hundreds of millions of dollars in insurance premiums is somehow a BENEFIT and is DESIRABLE.
In first response law in many places there is something called the “Good Samaritan clause.” It states simply that if, in an honest attempt to help a person injured or in distress, you actually do them harm, YOU CANNOT BE HELD LIABLE.
The same should apply to all health care professionals. It’s far preferable, in my opinion, to assume these pros are trying their best to help than it is to assume they’re not which seems to be the “American way.”
We should use the Chinese system. Doctors get paid ONLY WHEN YOU ARE WELL not when you are sick.
Anyway, I’m not sure if I’m on or off topic in this post so I’ll just leave it at that for now.
I am a frequent visitor to your site and I am also a union firefighter. While I
understand that you need to pay your bills I am dissapointed that you would
accept money from Steve Forbes anti-union website. I believe that most of his
claims are untrue and that you should check their accuracy before displaying
them.
I know this may be hard to believe, but accidents happen, and people make mistakes. Doctors are no different. Sometimes, when a professional makes a mistake, it costs money to repair the damage. I own a small construction company. The state says I must carry at least $500,000 of liability insurance. I carry $1 million. I don’t just carry it to protect myself, I carry it to protect my clients. Anyone who is in business, and does not carry liability insurance, is being irresponsible to themselves, and to their clients. The Mennonites and Amish (some sects) say it is “against their religion” to carry insurance. I say, they shouldn’t use religion as an excuse to be irresponsible. It begs the question, what else are they going to use their religion to deny responsibility for?
“There’s a Mennonite doctor in my town that does not carry malpractice insurance. Can you imagine that? There’s a sign in his office that says, “Please do not sue us”.”
Yes Fat, I not only can imagine that but fervently wish for those times of trust and generosity to return. I know I’m hopelessly naive but when we lost those and other values of cooperation and caring we lost the heart and soul of our society.
All we have left today is a very superficial and EMPTY cesspool of anger, frustration, mistrust, greed and endless “screw the other guy before he screws you” mentality.
Gov. Sarah Palin is America’s foremost authority on energy policy, and a leading expert on the safe, efficient extraction of fossil fuel resources. Obama should do himself & the country a favor, and take her advice.
Maybe they should target the Amish puppy mills, instead. There are several Amish Farmer’s Markets in my region, and one is going to open in my town. I refuse to patronize any of them. Many Amish and Mennonites refuse to carry any type of liability insurance, and I simply do not trust them. There’s a Mennonite doctor in my town that does not carry malpractice insurance. Can you imagine that? There’s a sign in his office that says, “Please do not sue us”. I’m not kidding.
Too Soon to Tell: The Case for Hope, Continued
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By tolle, June 10, 2010 at 9:29 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Mundt- Is your comment meant as an illustration of Poe’s Law?
Report thisSimilar to Murphy’s Law, Poe’s Law concerns internet debates, particularly regarding religion or politics. “Without a winking smiley or other blatant display of humor, it is impossible to create a parody of Fundamentalism that SOMEONE won’t mistake for the real thing.” In other words, No matter how bizzare, outrageous, or just plain idiotic a parody of a Fundamentalist may seem, there will always be someone who cannot tell that it is a parody, having seen similar REAL ideas from real religious/political Fundamentalists.
Note I’m not calling you a fundamentalist or wingnut of any other stripe. I’m just asking if you’re serious.Near as I can tell Caribou Barbie’s ” expertise” begins and ends at shopping,tweetin, and fancy pageant walkin.
By RAE, June 10, 2010 at 6:35 pm Link to this comment
I think I fully understand your view and point, Fat.
I remember back in the days when Kodak was king of the photo business they had a disclaimer on every box of film… something to the effect of:
“Our liability and your only remedy if this film fails to perform to your expectations is to give you another box of film. It doesn’t matter whose fault it is that you don’t have any pictures, and it doesn’t matter that you spent $100,000 on that picture-taking African safari… we (Kodak) will not be held liable for any losses you incur… etc., etc. beyond giving you another box of film.” Don’t like these terms? Then don’t use Kodak film.
I venture to say that the overwhelming majority of doctors who’ve spent many, many years and hundreds of thousands of dollars to become as good a professional as they could be will take every precaution to “DO NO HARM.” But… they are human. They will make mistakes. If you don’t trust that the doctor will do his best… if his “best” just isn’t good enough for you… then DON’T GO TO THE DOCTOR.
I fail to understand how ADDING to the enormous stress of their jobs and responsibility by hanging never-ending but potentially career ending lawsuits over their heads, and ADDING to health care costs by hundreds of millions of dollars in insurance premiums is somehow a BENEFIT and is DESIRABLE.
In first response law in many places there is something called the “Good Samaritan clause.” It states simply that if, in an honest attempt to help a person injured or in distress, you actually do them harm, YOU CANNOT BE HELD LIABLE.
The same should apply to all health care professionals. It’s far preferable, in my opinion, to assume these pros are trying their best to help than it is to assume they’re not which seems to be the “American way.”
We should use the Chinese system. Doctors get paid ONLY WHEN YOU ARE WELL not when you are sick.
Anyway, I’m not sure if I’m on or off topic in this post so I’ll just leave it at that for now.
Report thisBy john, June 10, 2010 at 4:36 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
I am a frequent visitor to your site and I am also a union firefighter. While I
Report thisunderstand that you need to pay your bills I am dissapointed that you would
accept money from Steve Forbes anti-union website. I believe that most of his
claims are untrue and that you should check their accuracy before displaying
them.
By Fat Freddy, June 10, 2010 at 3:57 pm Link to this comment
RAE
I know this may be hard to believe, but accidents happen, and people make mistakes. Doctors are no different. Sometimes, when a professional makes a mistake, it costs money to repair the damage. I own a small construction company. The state says I must carry at least $500,000 of liability insurance. I carry $1 million. I don’t just carry it to protect myself, I carry it to protect my clients. Anyone who is in business, and does not carry liability insurance, is being irresponsible to themselves, and to their clients. The Mennonites and Amish (some sects) say it is “against their religion” to carry insurance. I say, they shouldn’t use religion as an excuse to be irresponsible. It begs the question, what else are they going to use their religion to deny responsibility for?
Report thisBy RAE, June 10, 2010 at 3:37 pm Link to this comment
“There’s a Mennonite doctor in my town that does not carry malpractice insurance. Can you imagine that? There’s a sign in his office that says, “Please do not sue us”.”
Yes Fat, I not only can imagine that but fervently wish for those times of trust and generosity to return. I know I’m hopelessly naive but when we lost those and other values of cooperation and caring we lost the heart and soul of our society.
All we have left today is a very superficial and EMPTY cesspool of anger, frustration, mistrust, greed and endless “screw the other guy before he screws you” mentality.
If that’s OK with you… then you’ve got it! Enjoy.
Report thisBy Maani, June 10, 2010 at 11:50 am Link to this comment
The “immigration checkpoint” item is absolutely brilliant!! This video should go viral!
Report thisBy Tobysgirl, June 10, 2010 at 11:38 am Link to this comment
Mundt, I split my gut on that one!!!!!
Report thisBy Mundt, June 10, 2010 at 9:12 am Link to this comment
Gov. Sarah Palin is America’s foremost authority on energy policy, and a leading expert on the safe, efficient extraction of fossil fuel resources. Obama should do himself & the country a favor, and take her advice.
Report thisBy felicity, June 10, 2010 at 8:27 am Link to this comment
I really shouldn’t post this, however, it is on topic? Do you know what a guy with his head in a horse’s ass is? An Amish mechanic.
Report thisBy Fat Freddy, June 10, 2010 at 2:58 am Link to this comment
EPA Officials Target Amish Farmers
Maybe they should target the Amish puppy mills, instead. There are several Amish Farmer’s Markets in my region, and one is going to open in my town. I refuse to patronize any of them. Many Amish and Mennonites refuse to carry any type of liability insurance, and I simply do not trust them. There’s a Mennonite doctor in my town that does not carry malpractice insurance. Can you imagine that? There’s a sign in his office that says, “Please do not sue us”. I’m not kidding.
Report this