Duct tape and plastic sheeting.

A radio guy named Michael Savage has been getting major press lately, because MSNBC has hired him to boost their ratings. The man, according to today's Boston Globe holds such views as:

Nelson Mandela is ''a terrorist.'' The left is populated by ''power-mad psychopaths'' who ''perverted our children's minds.'' The ACLU is ''a foreign organization...a bunch of seditious creeps.'' He has this message for entertainment-industry liberals, or ''red-diaper doper babies'' as he likes to call them: ''Joseph McCarthy was 100 percent right'' about the ''fifth column in Hollywood.''
If the United States invades Iraq, Savage wants to invoke the Sedition Act ''and arrest the leaders of the antiwar movement.''

Anyhow (this is me, D'Artagnan, speaking again), I think that the fact that MSNBC would give this guy a forum supports Tartarin's argument. If Savage boosts MSNBC's ratings, he can say whatever he wants. If his ratings are poor, they'll find a reason to dump him. But it's not because of his politics.

And, though, I'm a big fan of free speech, I think it's sad that there's such a big audience for someone who holds such views. Yet the man's book is a huge best seller...

"Gee, can't there be something better?"

You 'n' me, Bill, and a few others!

(I feel the same way about the Dems!)

More unbiased annoucing D' - thanks for the heads up!

And, Tartarin - thanks, me too and count me in!

D'artagnan<

MSNBC had to dump Phil Donohue because his show did not find an audience.

Michael Savage is being added to the line-up by MSNBC in hopes he will siphon some of the conservative viewers of ratings champion FOXnews.

Savage has a nationally syndicated radio talk show which is aired in my area. He is, by far, the most ultra-right-wing guy I have ever heard. He makes Rush Limbaugh sound like a liberal.

Savage also has a new book out entitled The Savage Nation which is on the New York Times' bestseller list. This guy has some disgusting views -- and a snarling presentation.

I don't blame MSNBC for attempting some program balance. Michael Savage, I believe, will prove too caustic for most viewers. Thus, I am surprised that MSNBC has signed him up. Savage is a real hate-monger.

Let's face it the would hire the devil if it would improve ratings.

Ah, I see. When conservatives hate it is misplaced and unjustified, but when liberals hate it is perfectly valid and understandable. :wink:

Thanks, got it. (Just having a weee bit o' fun.)

And for what it is worth, I think your argument above is born out of your own bias. Only a liberal thinks Clinton was a centrist and only a liberal thinks Bush is "hard-right". What is "centrist" about gutting the military and trying to socialize health care? What is hard-right about the largest education spending package in history, steel tariffs, taking on homelessness, .... ???

Sorry, but I think those who hate politicians are just lazy and ignorant, no matter which side of the spectrum they live on. It is in our nature--but our worst nature--to demonize whatever stands in our way. Being adult and civilized should mean doing a bit better than our worst nature.

--====--

Tartarin - I find it hard to believe that you can read what I read in these discussions on a daily basis and write that you don't think some liberals are gripped with hate. Perhaps your vision is a bit selective?

There are immature, ignorant, hateful people on both sides of the political spectrum, and they have been given too much press and too much sway for too long on both sides.

Tress, your own bias is revealed by your referring to the Clintons trying to "socialize health care." That's an expression the AMA used about 40 years ago. Times have changed, my friend, and if you think our health care system works well, you haven't been paying attention.

In any case, the Clintons dropping the issue like a hot potato once it was clear that the insurance industry had mobilizing enough politicians to kill it. And it was never heard about again, for nearly eight years.

Cheers, D'artagnan -- You are, of course, right!

The Republicans lose another vote:

"I saw Tom Ridge on television," Steven Bosell told reporters outside his home in Corona, California, "telling us that all citizens should go out and stock up on duct tape and plastic, in case of terrorist attack. I'm a patriot, so I went straight down to the local Costco and bought $100 worth of duct tape and some plastic sheeting, to protect my house from radiation. "As soon as I got home, I taped up the doors and windows, but then I did some thinking. I realised that if survivors like myself are going to reproduce and repopulate the earth after a biological attack, then we have to protect our private parts as well. So I used my last roll of duct tape to wrap up my privates, leaving just a little hole at the end for toilet functions.

"A few days later, the Department of Homeland Security told us that the alert was over, and that we could remove the duct tape. But when I tried to peel the tape off my privates, skin and body hair began peeling off too. I injured myself badly, and there was blood everywhere. The pain was so bad that I called an ambulance, and was taken to hospital, where the tape was eventually removed, though not without further serious injuries to my privates.

"When I explained what I'd done, the doctors and nurses laughed at me, and went out of their way to make me feel like a fool. But the people I really blame are the government, because Mr. Ridge made me do this. And President Bush is equally liable for injury to my reproductive future, because he hired Mr Ridge to run the Department of Homeland Security, which gave the nation bad advice. That's why I have filed a lawsuit against Mr. Ridge, the Department, and the President, claiming compensation for emotional distress, personal injury, and sexual dysfunction."

The Bush Administration has so far refused to comment. (The Corona Times, 13/2/03.)

That isn't real.... right....?

PDiddie
loved it!

If you had taken time to actually read the manual PDiddie, you'd have clearly seen that it's MASKING tape for your privates, not duct tape. Did you learn nothing from the tragedies of the first Iraqi conflict? Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it...............

you buy 'em books and you buy 'em books and all they do is chew on the covers.

PDiddie<

Thanks for the humorous story from Corona.

It brought a smile to my face and made my day.

These are tense times for our nation. For tension, I have always said that laughter is indeed the best medicine.

Everybody loves duct tape:



Actually it looks more like shipping tape but, he's British, and they are an odd lot.

cjhsa<

Looks like mailing tape to me, but that's fine. This is a wonderful photograph. Thanks for sharing it.

He does have a bit of a pained look on his face though. Wonder what he wrapped up with the rest of the roll?

It's the desert camoflage duct tape.

Thanks for the info, BillW.