So, you're among the group of people who feel like Michael Hirsh, and you actually thought it was kinda funny that an Iraqi journalist had the nerve to stand up at a press conference and fire his loafers at "Dubya?" Maybe you loved it so much that you even had the desire to offer your daughter up to the guy!? Perhaps you're "up-in-arms" about the shoe-chucker's recent treatment!? Ah...well, if that's the case, then just think of the possibility of having Jeb in office come 2012!
Or, were you one of the people who scoffed, wrinkled their nose, and riduculed the Muslim "Shoe-ite" by saying, "I don't care what George W. Bush has done during his time in office, he's still the president of the United States, and he should be respected!"
Well, whichever group you're in, TMH wants you to know that George W. Bush's Torture policy beats (and beats them badly, with Dick Cheney watching even!) your two shoes, and raises you an entire batch of Constitutional infringements, and promises you several more in the last 30 days of his administration!
You can read the Constitution In Crisis update from AfterDowningStreet.org or check out congressman John Conyer's book George W. Bush Versus the U.S. Constitution: The Downing Street Memos and Deception, Manipulation, Torture, Retribution, Coverups in the Iraq War and Illegal Spying.
Oh, and you want to know TMH's official position on the whole matter? Well, TMH knows that you can NEVER have enough pitching, and so our suggestion is to send "The Iraqi Hurler" up to San Francisco, where The Giants can trade him for some much-needed hitting. Who would trade for a right-handed shoe-thrower you ask?
Well, at the risk of sounding like Sarah Palin..."You Betcha!"...
...THE DODGERS!
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
"Countdown" to Corruption...Come in Corruption, Over...(Not)!
(courtesy of E. Watson)
TMH Contributor
Here it is...the long awaited Countdown list, in case you've not seen it yet! Keith's been busy checking out America's top 25 most corrupt politicans. Tell us what you think!
Also, TMH is working its way toward the first "You Got Nailed!" Award, and reports are that Blagojevich is in the lead, but in this country at this time in history? Well...let's just say that could change with the weather.
"Hang Loose!" everyone...
TMH Contributor
Here it is...the long awaited Countdown list, in case you've not seen it yet! Keith's been busy checking out America's top 25 most corrupt politicans. Tell us what you think!
Also, TMH is working its way toward the first "You Got Nailed!" Award, and reports are that Blagojevich is in the lead, but in this country at this time in history? Well...let's just say that could change with the weather.
"Hang Loose!" everyone...
Sunday, December 14, 2008
"The Smirking Chimp": American Media's Political Coverage as "Entertainment"
"The Smirking Chimp": Post Election Analysis
By J.H. Hammer
(TMH Writer)
Filling the role once held by Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, "Rolling Stone" magazine's Matt Taibbi, in a post election article, wrote the following:
“One of the great clichés of campaign journalism is the notion that American elections have long since ceased to be about issues and ideas. Instead, pompous cliché-spreaders like myself have argued our TV-age political contests have devolved into grotesque marathons of mawkish entertainment programming, intellectually on par with a season of "Survivor," in which the command of the most powerful military force in human history is handed to that unscrupulous nitwit who over the course of 18 months succeeds in getting himself photographed the most times and in the most swing states bowling a strike or wearing a duck-hunting costume.
We've dumbed this process up so much over the years, in fact, that it had lately become hard to imagine an American presidential election being anything but an embarrassment to the very word "democracy." By 2004, that once-cherished ideal of political freedom and self-governance that millions of young men and women gave their lives to protect as recently as WWII had been reduced to the level of absurdist comedy. You had a millionaire Yalie in an army jacket taking on a millionaire Yalie in a cowboy hat, fighting tooth and nail for the right to be named the man "middle America most wants to have a beer with" by a gang of Ivy League journalists — a group of people whose closest previous exposure to "middle America" was typically either an episode of Cops or a Von Dutch trucker hat they'd bought for $23 at Urban Outfitters.
In short, it was an utterly degrading bourgeois/ruling-class media deception that "ordinary Americans," if they had any brains at all, ought to have been disgusted by to the point of rebellion. But ordinary Americans, alas, would have been perfectly happy to spend the rest of eternity mesmerized by the endless and endlessly condescending I'd Like to Have a Beer With You sideshow, leaving the boring policy stuff to the people who actually pay for the campaigns. Things could have just kept getting dumber and dumber, and no one would have been surprised. There was certainly no trend that suggested our presidential elections were bound to return to being great, sweepingly important contests of ideas. But that's what happened.
Like millions of Americans, I watched Barack Obama's victory on Election Night in a state of amazement. The only thing that gave me pause was the question of what kind of country this remarkable figure was now inheriting. Some of the luster of Obama's triumph would come off if the American presidency were no longer the Most Powerful Office in the World but simply the top job in a hopelessly broken nation suffering an irreversible decline.
Of all the problems facing this country by the end of the Bush years, the biggest is the absence of a unifying national idea. Since the end of the Cold War, America has been grasping left and right for an identity. We tried being a "world policeman" in Somalia, which didn't work so well. We tried retaining our Cold War outlook by simply replacing communists with terrorists. We created two bubble economies that blew up in our faces, and headed into 2008 a struggling capitalist state with a massive trade deficit and an overtaxed military that suddenly had to ask itself: For the supposed world leader in the community of nations, what exactly is it that we're still good at? Who are we, and what do we represent to the peoples of the Earth here and now — not in 1775 Concord, or 1945 Paris, or 1969, from the surface of the moon?
When Obama took the stage in Grant Park as president-elect, that question was answered. We pulled off an amazing thing here, delivering on our society's most ancient promises, in front of a world that still largely thought of us as the home of Bull Connor's fire hose. This dumbed-down, degraded election process of ours has, in spite of itself and to my own extreme astonishment, brilliantly re-energized the American experiment and restored legitimacy to our status as the world's living symbol of individual freedom. We feel like ourselves again, and the floundering economy and our two stagnating wars now seem like mere logistical problems that will be overcome sooner or later, instead of horrifying symptoms of inevitable empire-decline.
For this to happen, absolutely everything had to break right. And for that we will someday owe sincere thanks to John McCain, and Sarah Palin, and George W. Bush. They not only screwed it up, they screwed it up just right.”
Mr. Taibbi’s comments express the sentiments about this 2008 election better than any other I’ve read. The entire piece may be read through the link Requiem for a Maverick, but TMH must warn readers that that the article contains some "raw language."
What is intriguing is Taibbi's description of what passes as political coverage. Of course he is correct. Political coverage, particularly on television, is so shallow as to nearly be without merit. It’s ability to help citizens cast an informed vote is more than dubious. It has become just another bit of entertainment like “Desperate Housewives” or “Survivor” and, I might add, at the intellectual level of that of a class race in junior high school. Is it any wonder that we have so many low information voters?
By J.H. Hammer
(TMH Writer)
Filling the role once held by Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, "Rolling Stone" magazine's Matt Taibbi, in a post election article, wrote the following:
“One of the great clichés of campaign journalism is the notion that American elections have long since ceased to be about issues and ideas. Instead, pompous cliché-spreaders like myself have argued our TV-age political contests have devolved into grotesque marathons of mawkish entertainment programming, intellectually on par with a season of "Survivor," in which the command of the most powerful military force in human history is handed to that unscrupulous nitwit who over the course of 18 months succeeds in getting himself photographed the most times and in the most swing states bowling a strike or wearing a duck-hunting costume.
We've dumbed this process up so much over the years, in fact, that it had lately become hard to imagine an American presidential election being anything but an embarrassment to the very word "democracy." By 2004, that once-cherished ideal of political freedom and self-governance that millions of young men and women gave their lives to protect as recently as WWII had been reduced to the level of absurdist comedy. You had a millionaire Yalie in an army jacket taking on a millionaire Yalie in a cowboy hat, fighting tooth and nail for the right to be named the man "middle America most wants to have a beer with" by a gang of Ivy League journalists — a group of people whose closest previous exposure to "middle America" was typically either an episode of Cops or a Von Dutch trucker hat they'd bought for $23 at Urban Outfitters.
In short, it was an utterly degrading bourgeois/ruling-class media deception that "ordinary Americans," if they had any brains at all, ought to have been disgusted by to the point of rebellion. But ordinary Americans, alas, would have been perfectly happy to spend the rest of eternity mesmerized by the endless and endlessly condescending I'd Like to Have a Beer With You sideshow, leaving the boring policy stuff to the people who actually pay for the campaigns. Things could have just kept getting dumber and dumber, and no one would have been surprised. There was certainly no trend that suggested our presidential elections were bound to return to being great, sweepingly important contests of ideas. But that's what happened.
Like millions of Americans, I watched Barack Obama's victory on Election Night in a state of amazement. The only thing that gave me pause was the question of what kind of country this remarkable figure was now inheriting. Some of the luster of Obama's triumph would come off if the American presidency were no longer the Most Powerful Office in the World but simply the top job in a hopelessly broken nation suffering an irreversible decline.
Of all the problems facing this country by the end of the Bush years, the biggest is the absence of a unifying national idea. Since the end of the Cold War, America has been grasping left and right for an identity. We tried being a "world policeman" in Somalia, which didn't work so well. We tried retaining our Cold War outlook by simply replacing communists with terrorists. We created two bubble economies that blew up in our faces, and headed into 2008 a struggling capitalist state with a massive trade deficit and an overtaxed military that suddenly had to ask itself: For the supposed world leader in the community of nations, what exactly is it that we're still good at? Who are we, and what do we represent to the peoples of the Earth here and now — not in 1775 Concord, or 1945 Paris, or 1969, from the surface of the moon?
When Obama took the stage in Grant Park as president-elect, that question was answered. We pulled off an amazing thing here, delivering on our society's most ancient promises, in front of a world that still largely thought of us as the home of Bull Connor's fire hose. This dumbed-down, degraded election process of ours has, in spite of itself and to my own extreme astonishment, brilliantly re-energized the American experiment and restored legitimacy to our status as the world's living symbol of individual freedom. We feel like ourselves again, and the floundering economy and our two stagnating wars now seem like mere logistical problems that will be overcome sooner or later, instead of horrifying symptoms of inevitable empire-decline.
For this to happen, absolutely everything had to break right. And for that we will someday owe sincere thanks to John McCain, and Sarah Palin, and George W. Bush. They not only screwed it up, they screwed it up just right.”
Mr. Taibbi’s comments express the sentiments about this 2008 election better than any other I’ve read. The entire piece may be read through the link Requiem for a Maverick, but TMH must warn readers that that the article contains some "raw language."
What is intriguing is Taibbi's description of what passes as political coverage. Of course he is correct. Political coverage, particularly on television, is so shallow as to nearly be without merit. It’s ability to help citizens cast an informed vote is more than dubious. It has become just another bit of entertainment like “Desperate Housewives” or “Survivor” and, I might add, at the intellectual level of that of a class race in junior high school. Is it any wonder that we have so many low information voters?
Saturday, December 13, 2008
The Friday Night Media Mixer
Every Friday night the boys at TMH get together for our Friday Night Media Mixer. It's basically a collaboration of what we each managed to scrape together during the previous week, but haven't been able to use yet. You know, it's everything that didn't really make sense on Monday, wasn't relevant on Tuesday, had been forgotten by Wednesday, was a vague memory on Thursday, yet was somehow powerful enough to work its way into the Friday segment. Okay!, if you noticed the posting date above, you've already realized we're late this week, but "The Mixer" will work its way into the Friday schedule from here on out!
Tonight's mixer is a break from the "real news" but still reminds us -- in one form or another -- of the weekly schedule as depicted by the calendar, film, the arts, and advertising...it's a veritable media smorgasbord, pulled together from the Internet by a few dedicated knuckle-heads who, with the idea of how to split an atom in mind, individually run the risk of information overload! But hey!, as The Stranger would say, "I done introduced it enough."
National Geographic posted an article naming Friday, December 12, as the night of the Biggest, Brightest Full Moon of 2008. The moon, in all of its glory, looked incredible. It's no wonder The Mixer took forever -- we were distracted!
In its first week of existence, TMH felt a certain immediacy in the air and eventually landed on YouTube. We just had to check out the unbelievable media mixer "mash-up" of all of the Coen brothers' films. Originally compiled by Paul Proulx from Hobnox, TMH discovered it at an incredibly cool blog entitled grow-a-brain.
What would the Friday Night Mixer be without seeing George Clooney, as Ulysses Everett McGill, lip-synching to The Soggy Bottom Boys' "Man of Constant Sorrow," Peter Stormare, as Gaear Grimsrud, demanding, "We stop at pancake's house!" (the look on Steve Buscemi's face is priceless!) and Tom Hanks as Professor G.H. Dorr in The Ladykillers not only seeing Grimsrud's pancake "wager," but apparently raising it by demanding, "We must have waffles, we must all have waffles...forthwith!"
But the kicker is the nerve of Woody Harrelson's unfortunate bit character, Carson Wells, in that hilarious (but deadly!) psychoanalytical discussion with No Country for Old Men madman Anton Chigurh (played by Javier Bardem).
Wells: "Do you have any idea...how crazy you are?"
Chigurh: "You mean the nature of this conversation?"
Wells: "I mean the nature of you."
It was disappointing to see Wells go out the way he did. We can never get enough of Harrelson but, like Pitt in "Burn After Reading," his un-doing is shocking and disappointing in an entirely appropriate that's-what-makes-the-Coens-so-great kinda way. They're never afraid to kill-off one of the major stars in their films. After all, there are others handy!
As is the case with Coen brother films and characters, it is "the gaze" which sells the story, demands complete understanding from the audience, and completes the twisting tale. The mash-up catches almost every character from the Coen filmography convincing us of the intense power of "the look." The list includes Turturro, Harrelson, Bardem, Grimsrud, Getz, McDormand, Newman, Byrne, Thornton, Bridges, Goodman and, finally, -- at the very end of "No Country..." -- Tess Harper and Tommy Lee Jones. And then?...well...and "Then I woke up..."
Jose Feliciano's soothing rendition of "Let's Find Each Other Tonight" is a great choice for the musical bed in the final minutes of Proulx's work, and proves that -- musically -- Feliciano never gets old. Here's a musical montage of Feliciano images for the true fan:
Javier Bardem's acting -- along with Josh Brolin's -- makes No Country... an outstanding film, and TMH has a serious beef with anyone who didn't like the ending. The Anton Chigurh character plays well against both Brolin and Harrelson because he's so damn unpredictable. Every action he takes is subject to chance, but he just keeps right on rolling, and you can never quite figure out what he's going to do next. With the exception of a few lucky souls, his psychotic behavior means big-time trouble for anyone that crosses his path. For example, the gas station attendant has the audacity to inquire about the weather!
"What business is it of yours...where I'm from?...Friend-O!" Chigurh's psychosis is directed and, in this one case, kept in-check by the 1958 quarter that's "...been traveling twenty-two years to get here, and now it's here..." and he's not kidding when he tells the old man "...you stand to win everything." But the wonderful thing about the "nature" of the conversation between Chigurh and the old man is that it, too, is a type of coin toss. Control between the two speakers goes back-and-forth from the old man to Chigurh, and back again like a table tennis match, or a coin flip. The Coen's masterfully control the scene by making its form fit its function, and the gas station conversation provides the reason for why Chigurh will later question Wells' meaning with regard to the "nature" of their conversation.
In what can only be described as hyperbolic disappointment, "Well done!," is Chigurh's response to the old man winning the toss, and the 1958 quarter itself. Cigurh assures the man that it is both his lucky coin, and only a coin...because that is what it has become now that Chigurh is no longer its possessor...the coin is the "luck" which symbolizes the old man's salvation. TMH loved the Coens' use of the "coin toss" as the determining factor and the ultimate predictor between life and death. Chigurh's loss is a reminder that The Grim Reaper himself must submit to luck, fate, and the directives of a coin toss.
Although the threat of violence in No Country... is fairly low-key, it is omnipresent; always bubbling just below the surface. Thematically, as well as philosophically, the entire scene reminds us that "...on a long enough time-line, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero" and both the scene and the fate of the gas station attendant juxtapose incredibly well with what happens to Raymond K. Hessel in David Fincher's Fight Club. In Fincher's film, however, it is the narrator (Ed Norton) and Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt) who represent the two sides of the coin. For more on Fincher you can visit sensesofcinema.
The Coen brother theme continued for much of Friday Night's Mixer, but TMH eventually latched onto Jeff Bridges, and couldn't let go. What can you say about a guy who has been so outstanding for so long, in so many films? Bridges is a TMH favorite (as are Tuturro, Harrelson, Clooney and Pitt). Anyone whose acting skill can so easily bring Jeffrey Lebowski to life, or should we say Time, is alright with us.
Which is to say we simply had to locate The Dude. Stephen Colbert aside, TMH's "spin" is that Bridges has a sick amount of talent. His website is good for a lot of laughs too, and made us feel like "Little Lebowski Urban Achievers."
Among the interesting things was an apropos quote from "The Teachings of Don Juan" by Carlos Castaneda:
"All paths are the same: they lead nowhere... They are paths going through the bush, or into the bush. In my own life I could say I have traversed long, long paths but I am not anywhere. My benefactor's question has meaning now. Does this path have a heart? If it does, the path is good; if it doesn't, it is of no use. Both paths lead nowhere; but one has a heart, the other doesn't. One makes for a joyful journey; as long as you follow it, you are one with it. The other will make you curse your life. One makes you strong; the other weakens you."
Sounds a lot like the Dude searching for a replacement for his "micturated" rug, only without all of the Caucasian references. But not to worry, because in the time it took us to absorb Castaneda, there was another round of White Russians at-hand..."Hey!, careful man...there's a beverage here!"
On his website, Bridges also alludes to his participation in a new movie, and brings us back to the aforementioned Clooney. We found this:
Which was immediately followed by this:
The reference is to a 2004 Jon Ronson book entitled The Men Who Stare at Goats. It's a book that the staff at TMH has read, by the way, and which will be featured this month on our sister site -- The Literary Hammer.
Here's Ronson's book cover:
TMH expects big things because apparently the movie will be based largely upon the book, and the book is very "Duuuuuude" (albeit in a militaristic, George W. Bush, Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney sort of way. It describes efforts by the U.S. military to actually train a group of American soldiers to fight using the highly developed -- and highly dangerous! -- paranormal arts; including Chinese mind "techniques." These techniques include attempting to kill goats by staring at them in deep, zen-like meditation sessions with the express purpose of eventually being able to use these military tactics on human beings.
Other actors appearing in the film reportedly include Kevin Spacey of Keyser Soze fame, and Ewan McGregor. Nice kilt, Obi-Wan! However, Ewan McGregor should not to be confused with Clan MacGregor.
So, where exactly does George Clooney come into all of this? Well, TMH has learned that Clooney does, in fact, stare at goats.
Still need proof? Okay, here's last month's straight-forward offering from Cinemablend.com:
George Clooney Is A Hairy Goat-Starer
19 November 2008 9:34 AM, PST
"At 47, George Clooney might be too old to be a new recruit in the army... unless he uses the powers of his mind. That's the idea behind his bizarrely titled new movie Men Who Stare At Goats, about a division of the U.S. Army dedicated to using psychic powers to defeat the enemy. Based on some new set photos that surfaced over at Just Jared, focusing on your psychic abilities also requires not cutting your hair for a long time. We've seen Clooney's new mustache in paparazzi photos recently, but now he's got the shaggy hair to match-- a far, far cry from the cropped cut of the E.R. days. My bet is it's a wig, but hey, you never know. Of course, I know there are plenty of you who couldn't care less what George Clooney's hair looks like, so you're free to move along."
Ah...if it were only that easy! TMH just can't "move along" without first flashing back to the Coen "treatment" of Clooney's "hair jelly" and Ulysses Everett McGill's neurotic obsession with his hair and pomade in O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Remember, "it's a fool who looks for logic in the chambers of the human heart" and the "pleasing odor is half the point!"
TMH's "congregation" agreed to disagree on the FOP versus Dapper Dan debate, although before leaving the Coens behind we spied a couple more golden nuggets on the "geographical oddity" that is Jeff Bridges' website. They provided the inspiration for our last group of FNMM postings...so, "Come on in boys, the water's fine!"
There was this note:
Which brought to mind the Media Assassin, and made us wonder:
That reminded us of Africa, and we went to check The Daily Mail. Seriously, trying to be a pirate in the Twenty-First Century has about as much of a chance of success as this, courtesy of Melt Comics.
Suffice to say that Somali pirates don't have the best instincts. They would have had more success trying this:
The trick is counter-intuitive and goes against all of our instincts, just like The Monty Hall problem.
But despite fooling a bunch of mathematicians, the two-thirds answer to the problem is correct! Don't believe us? Okay, go and check it out for yourself, and then hurry back to The Mixer!...seriously, we'll wait... Right here's your PROOF!
The whole counter-intuitive angle brought to mind The Big Lebowski Phenomenon, and as The Friday Night Media Mixer came to an end, we were all reminded that, “It takes guys as simple as the Dude and Walter to make a story this complicated...and they'd really rather be bowling.”
And with that, it's time for us to "R* U* N* N* O* F* T"...We'll see you next week!
--TMH
Tonight's mixer is a break from the "real news" but still reminds us -- in one form or another -- of the weekly schedule as depicted by the calendar, film, the arts, and advertising...it's a veritable media smorgasbord, pulled together from the Internet by a few dedicated knuckle-heads who, with the idea of how to split an atom in mind, individually run the risk of information overload! But hey!, as The Stranger would say, "I done introduced it enough."
National Geographic posted an article naming Friday, December 12, as the night of the Biggest, Brightest Full Moon of 2008. The moon, in all of its glory, looked incredible. It's no wonder The Mixer took forever -- we were distracted!
In its first week of existence, TMH felt a certain immediacy in the air and eventually landed on YouTube. We just had to check out the unbelievable media mixer "mash-up" of all of the Coen brothers' films. Originally compiled by Paul Proulx from Hobnox, TMH discovered it at an incredibly cool blog entitled grow-a-brain.
What would the Friday Night Mixer be without seeing George Clooney, as Ulysses Everett McGill, lip-synching to The Soggy Bottom Boys' "Man of Constant Sorrow," Peter Stormare, as Gaear Grimsrud, demanding, "We stop at pancake's house!" (the look on Steve Buscemi's face is priceless!) and Tom Hanks as Professor G.H. Dorr in The Ladykillers not only seeing Grimsrud's pancake "wager," but apparently raising it by demanding, "We must have waffles, we must all have waffles...forthwith!"
But the kicker is the nerve of Woody Harrelson's unfortunate bit character, Carson Wells, in that hilarious (but deadly!) psychoanalytical discussion with No Country for Old Men madman Anton Chigurh (played by Javier Bardem).
Wells: "Do you have any idea...how crazy you are?"
Chigurh: "You mean the nature of this conversation?"
Wells: "I mean the nature of you."
It was disappointing to see Wells go out the way he did. We can never get enough of Harrelson but, like Pitt in "Burn After Reading," his un-doing is shocking and disappointing in an entirely appropriate that's-what-makes-the-Coens-so-great kinda way. They're never afraid to kill-off one of the major stars in their films. After all, there are others handy!
As is the case with Coen brother films and characters, it is "the gaze" which sells the story, demands complete understanding from the audience, and completes the twisting tale. The mash-up catches almost every character from the Coen filmography convincing us of the intense power of "the look." The list includes Turturro, Harrelson, Bardem, Grimsrud, Getz, McDormand, Newman, Byrne, Thornton, Bridges, Goodman and, finally, -- at the very end of "No Country..." -- Tess Harper and Tommy Lee Jones. And then?...well...and "Then I woke up..."
Jose Feliciano's soothing rendition of "Let's Find Each Other Tonight" is a great choice for the musical bed in the final minutes of Proulx's work, and proves that -- musically -- Feliciano never gets old. Here's a musical montage of Feliciano images for the true fan:
Javier Bardem's acting -- along with Josh Brolin's -- makes No Country... an outstanding film, and TMH has a serious beef with anyone who didn't like the ending. The Anton Chigurh character plays well against both Brolin and Harrelson because he's so damn unpredictable. Every action he takes is subject to chance, but he just keeps right on rolling, and you can never quite figure out what he's going to do next. With the exception of a few lucky souls, his psychotic behavior means big-time trouble for anyone that crosses his path. For example, the gas station attendant has the audacity to inquire about the weather!
"What business is it of yours...where I'm from?...Friend-O!" Chigurh's psychosis is directed and, in this one case, kept in-check by the 1958 quarter that's "...been traveling twenty-two years to get here, and now it's here..." and he's not kidding when he tells the old man "...you stand to win everything." But the wonderful thing about the "nature" of the conversation between Chigurh and the old man is that it, too, is a type of coin toss. Control between the two speakers goes back-and-forth from the old man to Chigurh, and back again like a table tennis match, or a coin flip. The Coen's masterfully control the scene by making its form fit its function, and the gas station conversation provides the reason for why Chigurh will later question Wells' meaning with regard to the "nature" of their conversation.
In what can only be described as hyperbolic disappointment, "Well done!," is Chigurh's response to the old man winning the toss, and the 1958 quarter itself. Cigurh assures the man that it is both his lucky coin, and only a coin...because that is what it has become now that Chigurh is no longer its possessor...the coin is the "luck" which symbolizes the old man's salvation. TMH loved the Coens' use of the "coin toss" as the determining factor and the ultimate predictor between life and death. Chigurh's loss is a reminder that The Grim Reaper himself must submit to luck, fate, and the directives of a coin toss.
Although the threat of violence in No Country... is fairly low-key, it is omnipresent; always bubbling just below the surface. Thematically, as well as philosophically, the entire scene reminds us that "...on a long enough time-line, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero" and both the scene and the fate of the gas station attendant juxtapose incredibly well with what happens to Raymond K. Hessel in David Fincher's Fight Club. In Fincher's film, however, it is the narrator (Ed Norton) and Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt) who represent the two sides of the coin. For more on Fincher you can visit sensesofcinema.
The Coen brother theme continued for much of Friday Night's Mixer, but TMH eventually latched onto Jeff Bridges, and couldn't let go. What can you say about a guy who has been so outstanding for so long, in so many films? Bridges is a TMH favorite (as are Tuturro, Harrelson, Clooney and Pitt). Anyone whose acting skill can so easily bring Jeffrey Lebowski to life, or should we say Time, is alright with us.
Which is to say we simply had to locate The Dude. Stephen Colbert aside, TMH's "spin" is that Bridges has a sick amount of talent. His website is good for a lot of laughs too, and made us feel like "Little Lebowski Urban Achievers."
Among the interesting things was an apropos quote from "The Teachings of Don Juan" by Carlos Castaneda:
"All paths are the same: they lead nowhere... They are paths going through the bush, or into the bush. In my own life I could say I have traversed long, long paths but I am not anywhere. My benefactor's question has meaning now. Does this path have a heart? If it does, the path is good; if it doesn't, it is of no use. Both paths lead nowhere; but one has a heart, the other doesn't. One makes for a joyful journey; as long as you follow it, you are one with it. The other will make you curse your life. One makes you strong; the other weakens you."
Sounds a lot like the Dude searching for a replacement for his "micturated" rug, only without all of the Caucasian references. But not to worry, because in the time it took us to absorb Castaneda, there was another round of White Russians at-hand..."Hey!, careful man...there's a beverage here!"
On his website, Bridges also alludes to his participation in a new movie, and brings us back to the aforementioned Clooney. We found this:
Which was immediately followed by this:
The reference is to a 2004 Jon Ronson book entitled The Men Who Stare at Goats. It's a book that the staff at TMH has read, by the way, and which will be featured this month on our sister site -- The Literary Hammer.
Here's Ronson's book cover:
TMH expects big things because apparently the movie will be based largely upon the book, and the book is very "Duuuuuude" (albeit in a militaristic, George W. Bush, Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney sort of way. It describes efforts by the U.S. military to actually train a group of American soldiers to fight using the highly developed -- and highly dangerous! -- paranormal arts; including Chinese mind "techniques." These techniques include attempting to kill goats by staring at them in deep, zen-like meditation sessions with the express purpose of eventually being able to use these military tactics on human beings.
Other actors appearing in the film reportedly include Kevin Spacey of Keyser Soze fame, and Ewan McGregor. Nice kilt, Obi-Wan! However, Ewan McGregor should not to be confused with Clan MacGregor.
So, where exactly does George Clooney come into all of this? Well, TMH has learned that Clooney does, in fact, stare at goats.
Still need proof? Okay, here's last month's straight-forward offering from Cinemablend.com:
George Clooney Is A Hairy Goat-Starer
19 November 2008 9:34 AM, PST
"At 47, George Clooney might be too old to be a new recruit in the army... unless he uses the powers of his mind. That's the idea behind his bizarrely titled new movie Men Who Stare At Goats, about a division of the U.S. Army dedicated to using psychic powers to defeat the enemy. Based on some new set photos that surfaced over at Just Jared, focusing on your psychic abilities also requires not cutting your hair for a long time. We've seen Clooney's new mustache in paparazzi photos recently, but now he's got the shaggy hair to match-- a far, far cry from the cropped cut of the E.R. days. My bet is it's a wig, but hey, you never know. Of course, I know there are plenty of you who couldn't care less what George Clooney's hair looks like, so you're free to move along."
Ah...if it were only that easy! TMH just can't "move along" without first flashing back to the Coen "treatment" of Clooney's "hair jelly" and Ulysses Everett McGill's neurotic obsession with his hair and pomade in O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Remember, "it's a fool who looks for logic in the chambers of the human heart" and the "pleasing odor is half the point!"
TMH's "congregation" agreed to disagree on the FOP versus Dapper Dan debate, although before leaving the Coens behind we spied a couple more golden nuggets on the "geographical oddity" that is Jeff Bridges' website. They provided the inspiration for our last group of FNMM postings...so, "Come on in boys, the water's fine!"
There was this note:
Which brought to mind the Media Assassin, and made us wonder:
That reminded us of Africa, and we went to check The Daily Mail. Seriously, trying to be a pirate in the Twenty-First Century has about as much of a chance of success as this, courtesy of Melt Comics.
Suffice to say that Somali pirates don't have the best instincts. They would have had more success trying this:
The trick is counter-intuitive and goes against all of our instincts, just like The Monty Hall problem.
But despite fooling a bunch of mathematicians, the two-thirds answer to the problem is correct! Don't believe us? Okay, go and check it out for yourself, and then hurry back to The Mixer!...seriously, we'll wait... Right here's your PROOF!
The whole counter-intuitive angle brought to mind The Big Lebowski Phenomenon, and as The Friday Night Media Mixer came to an end, we were all reminded that, “It takes guys as simple as the Dude and Walter to make a story this complicated...and they'd really rather be bowling.”
And with that, it's time for us to "R* U* N* N* O* F* T"...We'll see you next week!
--TMH
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Poll: Pick the Weekly TMH "YOU GOT NAILED!" Award
TMH is working hard to develop its weekly "Media Hammer Award" which will be "handed out" on this site to some worthy media "bone-head" each and every Sunday.
TMH's "YOU GOT NAILED!" award will be granted based upon poor reporting, bad stories, un-professional coverage, general or blatant idiocy in the media, intentional use of propaganda, outright lies, biased "spin" or any other award earning stupidity which occurs during the weekly news cycle. It will be given to a reporter, a magazine or newspaper, a politician, a reporter, or a news anchor.
The award itself is a negative thing, similar to the "Golden Raspberry Awards" for acting. For those of you who are not familiar with "The Razzies," they are handed out on a yearly basis to members of the film industry. They "reward" the very worst in acting, screenwriting, directing, worst overall film, and several other categories. Each "winner" gets a "Razzie" and while it's an award that is definitely earned, it's not something that people in the film industry want to receive or openly covet.
Check out some of the past Golden Raspberry Award "winners" at the following link:
http://www.razzies.com/history/06winners.asp
The Media Hammer wants to follow in a similar tradition. And we're reminded of Keith Olbermann's segment on his MSNBC show "Countdown" entitled "Worst Person in the World."
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/
So, check out the NEWLY REVISED (12/12/08) designs, vote for your favorite in the design poll at the right (located under the "Astronomy Picture of the Day" banner, and we will begin handing out the awards on a weekly basis once the voting is complete.
Easy enough, right? So okay, already...here are our TMH "YOU GOT NAILED!" design choices:
(Sledge Hammer images 2 and 5 courtesy of Adam Wheeler at:
http://www.functionalhandstrength.com/
Click on images to enlarge.
CHOICE # 1:
TMH's Staff is hard at work researching who deserves the first award. We will bring it to you for the very first time right here on January 4, 2009.
CHOICE # 2:
CHOICE # 3:
CHOICE # 4:
CHOICE # 5:
TMH's "YOU GOT NAILED!" award will be granted based upon poor reporting, bad stories, un-professional coverage, general or blatant idiocy in the media, intentional use of propaganda, outright lies, biased "spin" or any other award earning stupidity which occurs during the weekly news cycle. It will be given to a reporter, a magazine or newspaper, a politician, a reporter, or a news anchor.
The award itself is a negative thing, similar to the "Golden Raspberry Awards" for acting. For those of you who are not familiar with "The Razzies," they are handed out on a yearly basis to members of the film industry. They "reward" the very worst in acting, screenwriting, directing, worst overall film, and several other categories. Each "winner" gets a "Razzie" and while it's an award that is definitely earned, it's not something that people in the film industry want to receive or openly covet.
Check out some of the past Golden Raspberry Award "winners" at the following link:
http://www.razzies.com/history/06winners.asp
The Media Hammer wants to follow in a similar tradition. And we're reminded of Keith Olbermann's segment on his MSNBC show "Countdown" entitled "Worst Person in the World."
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/
So, check out the NEWLY REVISED (12/12/08) designs, vote for your favorite in the design poll at the right (located under the "Astronomy Picture of the Day" banner, and we will begin handing out the awards on a weekly basis once the voting is complete.
Easy enough, right? So okay, already...here are our TMH "YOU GOT NAILED!" design choices:
(Sledge Hammer images 2 and 5 courtesy of Adam Wheeler at:
http://www.functionalhandstrength.com/
Click on images to enlarge.
CHOICE # 1:
TMH's Staff is hard at work researching who deserves the first award. We will bring it to you for the very first time right here on January 4, 2009.
Thanks for helping to shape TMH!
--TMH
CHOICE # 2:
CHOICE # 3:
CHOICE # 4:
CHOICE # 5:
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
When Times Get Tough, Iron Your T-Shirt!
(courtesy of the-signal.com and knx1070.com)
From the-signal.com staff writer, Brian Charles, comes this news-worthy item:
29 year-old Santa Clarita, California resident Kelly Kinney has been out of work since October 1, 2008, but she's not laying-low, blaming tough economic times, or feeling sorry for herself. What Kinney -- an ex marketing manager -- has done is begin ironing her resume onto t-shirts and wearing them around the streets of Los Angeles with the hope of finding employment.
Forget her degree! Here's a woman who has guts and is a true inspiration! While all around our country so many banking CEOs, car manufacturers, and Wall Street brokers are apparently willing to whine and otherwise get busy "beggin' for bailouts," Kinney has taken to the street with a pragmatic, unique, and entrepreneurial style all her own.
Kinney, pictured above, actually holds two bachelor degrees -- one in economics, and one in marketing -- and, it seems to me, she's putting her mind, her creativity, and her education to good work. Or, rather, she's HOPING to put herself to work through her creative ingenuity.
She admits, however, that she has so far been frustrated in her job search, but she refuses to go quietly into that bleak, economic night. You won't see her standing around waiting for a bailout, she's not waiting on welfare, and she's not expecting the t-shirt ploy to land her at a Fortune 500 company. Of her job search, Kinney simply said, "I just want to work. I don't care about the money."
TMH wishes Kelly Kinney all the best, and we hope that things -- for her, and for the rest of the country -- begin to turn around soon; before more of us (with the definite exception of the CEOs and the bail-out benificiaries) have to break out the "surf boards" and "wax-on, wax-off" a few of our own iron-on resumes!
From the-signal.com staff writer, Brian Charles, comes this news-worthy item:
29 year-old Santa Clarita, California resident Kelly Kinney has been out of work since October 1, 2008, but she's not laying-low, blaming tough economic times, or feeling sorry for herself. What Kinney -- an ex marketing manager -- has done is begin ironing her resume onto t-shirts and wearing them around the streets of Los Angeles with the hope of finding employment.
Forget her degree! Here's a woman who has guts and is a true inspiration! While all around our country so many banking CEOs, car manufacturers, and Wall Street brokers are apparently willing to whine and otherwise get busy "beggin' for bailouts," Kinney has taken to the street with a pragmatic, unique, and entrepreneurial style all her own.Kinney, pictured above, actually holds two bachelor degrees -- one in economics, and one in marketing -- and, it seems to me, she's putting her mind, her creativity, and her education to good work. Or, rather, she's HOPING to put herself to work through her creative ingenuity.
She admits, however, that she has so far been frustrated in her job search, but she refuses to go quietly into that bleak, economic night. You won't see her standing around waiting for a bailout, she's not waiting on welfare, and she's not expecting the t-shirt ploy to land her at a Fortune 500 company. Of her job search, Kinney simply said, "I just want to work. I don't care about the money."
TMH wishes Kelly Kinney all the best, and we hope that things -- for her, and for the rest of the country -- begin to turn around soon; before more of us (with the definite exception of the CEOs and the bail-out benificiaries) have to break out the "surf boards" and "wax-on, wax-off" a few of our own iron-on resumes!
What's New(s) on The Media Hammer
The Media Hammer is currently providing a wide variety of media-based links to our community members.
To your right, you will find an eclectic mix of news sources --some of which you may already enjoy and visit frequently and some which may well go against your personal politics, your political persuasion, or otherwise irritate you beyond belief. The diversity of news choices and the different perspectives (i.e. "the Spin") IS the entire point, so please don't be offended just because we have posted links to both Fox News and MSNBC for example. As nasty as it sometimes gets, we don't think we'll be seeing Bill O' Reilly and Keith Olbermann duking it out any time soon!
We invite you to check out the available links and to comment here in your own words with regard to your favorites, your least favorites, the links you trust as well as the ones you do not trust. There may also be -- hopefully -- a few with which you are not that familiar.
Also, please take part in our new Political Party Affiliation poll. It was started today, and is designed solely to get a feel for the political range of our members. It will NOT be used for any other purpose, and your votes will remain anonymous.
Thanks for joining in and taking part!
--TMH
To your right, you will find an eclectic mix of news sources --some of which you may already enjoy and visit frequently and some which may well go against your personal politics, your political persuasion, or otherwise irritate you beyond belief. The diversity of news choices and the different perspectives (i.e. "the Spin") IS the entire point, so please don't be offended just because we have posted links to both Fox News and MSNBC for example. As nasty as it sometimes gets, we don't think we'll be seeing Bill O' Reilly and Keith Olbermann duking it out any time soon!
We invite you to check out the available links and to comment here in your own words with regard to your favorites, your least favorites, the links you trust as well as the ones you do not trust. There may also be -- hopefully -- a few with which you are not that familiar.
Also, please take part in our new Political Party Affiliation poll. It was started today, and is designed solely to get a feel for the political range of our members. It will NOT be used for any other purpose, and your votes will remain anonymous.
Thanks for joining in and taking part!
--TMH
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Are "Great Men" also Bad?
By Gregory A. Hammer
TMH Editor
As if president-elect Barack Obama did not already have enough on his plate; what with the state of the economy, the on-going wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the continuing politics of the bailout package(s), trying to keep the Big Three auto-makers afloat, naming his cabinet, monitoring the last 50 days of the Bush administration, and now -- today -- comes this: Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich is accused of trying to sell Obama's available senate seat to -- apparently -- the highest bidder. What IS this, political E-Bay?
Blagojevich was arrested on graft charges Tuesday, and also charged with threatening to strong-arm the Chicago Tribune company by withholding state funds in an attempt to bribe and coerce the media giant into firing some of the paper's editors who had been critical of Blagojevich's political "guidance" during his time as governor. In a move not-so-surprising-in-this-day-and-age, a federal judge -- ON Tuesday -- granted Blagojevich release on his own recognizance. Even with as much political corruption as we've had lately, it's apparently still not possible to keep a politician behind bars for more than a few hours.
Suffice to say that the political corruption over the course of the last eight years has been particularly atrocious. More specifically, the political corruption which has taken place in Chicago -- where three former governors have been indicted and convicted of crimes of corruption within the last thirty-five years -- pretty much mirrors the present-day political side-show.
I don't know about you, but it's getting hard to keep track of the scandals taking place throughout the Washington political circuit, and at a time when our country NEEDS to be able to trust in its elected leaders...well, trust is a hard thing to come by, isn't it?
The hubris of American business men, CEOs, politicans, federal judges, governors and people in power continues to amaze me, but perhaps I should not be surprised. MSNBC's Chris Matthews echoed the oft-quoted, well-worn opinion of Lord Acton today on his syndicated show "Hardball" when he stated, "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts -- absolutely." Acton's statement reflected his personal feelings-of-the-day and he expressed clearly his own issues with people in power in an 1887 letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton.
What Matthews failed to mention, and what many people may not realize, is the final part of Acton's quote...the part in his letter which reads, "Great men are almost always bad men." I'm sure it's not something in the water, and I'm not putting this on our president-elect, but Chicago definitely has a well-worn history of political corruption. Has this kind of corruption, greed and scandal simply become part of the larger political shell-game, or is it a case of ethical lightning striking over, and over, and over again upon The Windy City?
Don't look too closely at any American city these days, not unless you're willing to see something ugly. You're guaranteed to find something corrupt; something you won't like, something that's better left unseen and unknown. For those of you who thought the corruption would end with the Bush administration...well, there's still time for that to happen, but it's beginning to look like the great men in this country are "great" because they are so bad.
Our hopes for a political turn-around and an ethical rise in America's elected leaders to the point that they will actually listen, let alone lead, falls -- initially at least -- on the politician in the top spot, a man whose politics derive from Chicago. The questions remain: do great men necessarily have to be bad in order to be great? And will Obama be great, bad, or both?
TMH Editor
As if president-elect Barack Obama did not already have enough on his plate; what with the state of the economy, the on-going wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the continuing politics of the bailout package(s), trying to keep the Big Three auto-makers afloat, naming his cabinet, monitoring the last 50 days of the Bush administration, and now -- today -- comes this: Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich is accused of trying to sell Obama's available senate seat to -- apparently -- the highest bidder. What IS this, political E-Bay?
Blagojevich was arrested on graft charges Tuesday, and also charged with threatening to strong-arm the Chicago Tribune company by withholding state funds in an attempt to bribe and coerce the media giant into firing some of the paper's editors who had been critical of Blagojevich's political "guidance" during his time as governor. In a move not-so-surprising-in-this-day-and-age, a federal judge -- ON Tuesday -- granted Blagojevich release on his own recognizance. Even with as much political corruption as we've had lately, it's apparently still not possible to keep a politician behind bars for more than a few hours.
Suffice to say that the political corruption over the course of the last eight years has been particularly atrocious. More specifically, the political corruption which has taken place in Chicago -- where three former governors have been indicted and convicted of crimes of corruption within the last thirty-five years -- pretty much mirrors the present-day political side-show.
I don't know about you, but it's getting hard to keep track of the scandals taking place throughout the Washington political circuit, and at a time when our country NEEDS to be able to trust in its elected leaders...well, trust is a hard thing to come by, isn't it?
The hubris of American business men, CEOs, politicans, federal judges, governors and people in power continues to amaze me, but perhaps I should not be surprised. MSNBC's Chris Matthews echoed the oft-quoted, well-worn opinion of Lord Acton today on his syndicated show "Hardball" when he stated, "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts -- absolutely." Acton's statement reflected his personal feelings-of-the-day and he expressed clearly his own issues with people in power in an 1887 letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton.
What Matthews failed to mention, and what many people may not realize, is the final part of Acton's quote...the part in his letter which reads, "Great men are almost always bad men." I'm sure it's not something in the water, and I'm not putting this on our president-elect, but Chicago definitely has a well-worn history of political corruption. Has this kind of corruption, greed and scandal simply become part of the larger political shell-game, or is it a case of ethical lightning striking over, and over, and over again upon The Windy City?
Don't look too closely at any American city these days, not unless you're willing to see something ugly. You're guaranteed to find something corrupt; something you won't like, something that's better left unseen and unknown. For those of you who thought the corruption would end with the Bush administration...well, there's still time for that to happen, but it's beginning to look like the great men in this country are "great" because they are so bad.
Our hopes for a political turn-around and an ethical rise in America's elected leaders to the point that they will actually listen, let alone lead, falls -- initially at least -- on the politician in the top spot, a man whose politics derive from Chicago. The questions remain: do great men necessarily have to be bad in order to be great? And will Obama be great, bad, or both?
TMH Innaugural Post
Welcome to The Media Hammer!
We're glad you found us on the web, and we're excited to begin this website at such a transitional period in American history.
The process of electing Barack Obama has held the United States' attention for a long, long time now and -- with his inauguration -- the country will begin to move in a reportly "new" direction. We at The Media Hammer will be watching, and keeping an open eye and open mind to the way in which the news is reported. We hope that you will join us as we explore the news and the variety of ways in which it is presented.
Despite the fact that the United States is facing an historic economic crisis and a water-sshed moment in American history, our elected officials -- our "Civil Servants" -- seem to be more corrupt than ever. The Media Hammer will be working to report on the latest news from, and ON, the world's diverse media formats: radio, television, the internet, and the written word. Within our coverage we will include news and commentary, politics and religion, as well as topics surrounding popular culture and the issues which you -- our readers, subscribers, writers, and reporters decide need to be discussed.
Who are we? The Media Hammer is a group of writers, reporters and critics whose backgrounds vary from teaching and education, to writing, communications, politics, and philosophy. We are a diverse group of free-thinking people with eclectic backgrounds, experiences and opinions. We're bringing this diversity to our new website, and we're asking you to help us expand our horizons. Our goal is to offer a unique and interesting perspective on what is newsworthy, and on the way in which the news is presented through different media outlets.
We want you to take part in this world, and to help us explore the knowledge, news and education we receive through the American and world media. By using reportage, critical thinking, free-inquiry, and the vast technological network available to us all, the writers at The Media Hammer strive to help shape the understanding of the news, rather than just having it shape us!
Thanks for everything, and please come along for the ride!
--TMH
For information regarding our Privacy Policy, please read the following publicly posted information:
Privacy Policy for The Media Hammer (TMH)
(Privacy Policy model courtesy of Peter N. Jones at: http://newgreatbooks.blogspot.com/)
By Gregory Hammer
TMH Editor
Working to maintain the privacy of subscribers and visitors to The Media Hammer is very important to us.
TMH recognizes that your personal information is important. With that in mind, we want to provide some information on what types of personal information we receive and collect when you visit our website, so that you can understand how we go about attempting to safeguard your information. First of all, TMH will never sell your personal information to third parties.
Log Files:
Like other websites, we do collect and use some of the data contained in log files. The information in log files may include your IP (Internet Protocol) address, your ISP (Internet Service Provider, such as AOL, Yahoo, or Google), the browser you used to visit our site (such as Internet Explorer or Firefox, for example), the time you visited our site and which pages you visited throughout the site.
Cookies and Web Beacons:
The Media Hammer uses cookies to store information. These cookies provide information related to your personal preferences when you visit our site. This may eventually include showing you a pop-up during your visit, or the ability to login to some of our features, such as links, forums, or blog lists.
We eventually hope to use some third party advertisements on The Media Hammer as a means of helping to support our site. Some of these advertisers may use technology such as cookies and web beacons when they advertise on our site, which will also send these advertisers (such as Google through the Google AdSense program) information including your IP address, your ISP, the browser you used to visit TMH and -- in some cases -- whether you have Flash installed. This is generally used for geo-targeting purposes (such as showing Chicago real estate advertisements to a visitor located in Chicago) or targeting by showing certain ads based on the specific type of sites visited (displaying cooking ads to someone who frequents cooking sites, for example).
Visitors may choose to disable or selectively turn off our cookies or third-party cookies in their browser settings, or, they may manage their security and browsing preferences through the use of programs like Norton Internet Security. However, doing so may affect your ability to interact with our site, as well as with other websites. This may include -- but may not be limited to -- the inability to login to services or programs (such as logging into accounts, forums, and various links), or otherwise receiving information you may actually desire.
Thank you for your understanding with regard to privacy and security, and thanks for supporting The Media Hammer.
--TMH Management & Staff
We're glad you found us on the web, and we're excited to begin this website at such a transitional period in American history.
The process of electing Barack Obama has held the United States' attention for a long, long time now and -- with his inauguration -- the country will begin to move in a reportly "new" direction. We at The Media Hammer will be watching, and keeping an open eye and open mind to the way in which the news is reported. We hope that you will join us as we explore the news and the variety of ways in which it is presented.
Despite the fact that the United States is facing an historic economic crisis and a water-sshed moment in American history, our elected officials -- our "Civil Servants" -- seem to be more corrupt than ever. The Media Hammer will be working to report on the latest news from, and ON, the world's diverse media formats: radio, television, the internet, and the written word. Within our coverage we will include news and commentary, politics and religion, as well as topics surrounding popular culture and the issues which you -- our readers, subscribers, writers, and reporters decide need to be discussed.
Who are we? The Media Hammer is a group of writers, reporters and critics whose backgrounds vary from teaching and education, to writing, communications, politics, and philosophy. We are a diverse group of free-thinking people with eclectic backgrounds, experiences and opinions. We're bringing this diversity to our new website, and we're asking you to help us expand our horizons. Our goal is to offer a unique and interesting perspective on what is newsworthy, and on the way in which the news is presented through different media outlets.
We want you to take part in this world, and to help us explore the knowledge, news and education we receive through the American and world media. By using reportage, critical thinking, free-inquiry, and the vast technological network available to us all, the writers at The Media Hammer strive to help shape the understanding of the news, rather than just having it shape us!
Thanks for everything, and please come along for the ride!
--TMH
For information regarding our Privacy Policy, please read the following publicly posted information:
Privacy Policy for The Media Hammer (TMH)
(Privacy Policy model courtesy of Peter N. Jones at: http://newgreatbooks.blogspot.com/)
By Gregory Hammer
TMH Editor
Working to maintain the privacy of subscribers and visitors to The Media Hammer is very important to us.
TMH recognizes that your personal information is important. With that in mind, we want to provide some information on what types of personal information we receive and collect when you visit our website, so that you can understand how we go about attempting to safeguard your information. First of all, TMH will never sell your personal information to third parties.
Log Files:
Like other websites, we do collect and use some of the data contained in log files. The information in log files may include your IP (Internet Protocol) address, your ISP (Internet Service Provider, such as AOL, Yahoo, or Google), the browser you used to visit our site (such as Internet Explorer or Firefox, for example), the time you visited our site and which pages you visited throughout the site.
Cookies and Web Beacons:
The Media Hammer uses cookies to store information. These cookies provide information related to your personal preferences when you visit our site. This may eventually include showing you a pop-up during your visit, or the ability to login to some of our features, such as links, forums, or blog lists.
We eventually hope to use some third party advertisements on The Media Hammer as a means of helping to support our site. Some of these advertisers may use technology such as cookies and web beacons when they advertise on our site, which will also send these advertisers (such as Google through the Google AdSense program) information including your IP address, your ISP, the browser you used to visit TMH and -- in some cases -- whether you have Flash installed. This is generally used for geo-targeting purposes (such as showing Chicago real estate advertisements to a visitor located in Chicago) or targeting by showing certain ads based on the specific type of sites visited (displaying cooking ads to someone who frequents cooking sites, for example).
Visitors may choose to disable or selectively turn off our cookies or third-party cookies in their browser settings, or, they may manage their security and browsing preferences through the use of programs like Norton Internet Security. However, doing so may affect your ability to interact with our site, as well as with other websites. This may include -- but may not be limited to -- the inability to login to services or programs (such as logging into accounts, forums, and various links), or otherwise receiving information you may actually desire.
Thank you for your understanding with regard to privacy and security, and thanks for supporting The Media Hammer.
--TMH Management & Staff
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