BAGnewsNotes

The Best Laid Plans Of Mice As Men

So, I was wondering how's the promised miracle of Fallujah was progressing.

I saved this from about a month ago.

(image: Max Becherer/Polaris for the NYTimes)

Georgeleeza Rice -- Part 2

One or two cartoons back, I did a composite drawing of Bush and Rice. My point was that the new cabinet nominees were notable for their lack of identity or differentiation from Bush.

If it seems that the administration consists of just a few players who basically meld together in a macabre mass, this Quicktime clip by James W. Johnson does an eerily good job of catching the monster in action.

View here.

(source: no bush video archive; James W. Johnson website)

Just Drop The Big One

One of my younger, but quite politically astute visitors -- who shares my feeling that JibJab is overrated -- sent me this. He was insistent I run it. It's cheesy, but Randy Newman seems particularly appropriate right now. I especially liked the bit in front of the United Nations.

...Also, didn't Cheney just intim(id)ate again today that a Kerry victory means a increased chance terrorists will set off "the big one" in your backyard?

View here.

(referral: leo)
(source: alex g./albinoblacksheep.com)

Bush/Satan '04! (Or, three recommendations for the price of one)

I'm usually more judicious in picking out video clips, but I really couldn't decide which of these I liked better.

The first ad, 'Fortunate Son', from the Democratic National Committee (DNC), is the first I've seen that (finally!) targets Bush's military record exclusively from the standpoint of privilege.

I like the second piece, "Ten Cuidado Del Nombre (Beware of the Name) Bush" from the New Democratic Network (NDN) for a couple reasons: Obviously, it's interesting to see an ad that is vertically cast for a hispanic audience; I think the tune is infectious (the site provides an MP3 download); and it reminds how the music video format lends a softer edge to a hard edged narrative. As well, it suggests that, with a hispanic audience, there's less pulling of punches.

Finally, I think the Satan piece (satanforbush.com) is very confident. I comb through so much parody, and most of it is either not that funny, or more fatally, not that self assured. On first pass, you would think a Bush endorsement from Satan would be a slam dunk idea. However, the concept is so obvious (given Bush's blind faith), the problem of how to execute it does nothing but raise the bar.

Video Clip One: DNC's Fortunate Son
Windows Media Broadband Dial-up
Real Player Broadband Dial-up

Video Clip Two: NDN's Ten Cuidado Del Nombre (Beware of the Name) Bush
Video page here

Video Three: Satan For Bush
.mov file here

(clip 1 & 2 source: bushout.tv)
(clip 3 source; adrants.com)

RNC: The Case for Protest

This video, featuring members of the New York Civil Liberties Union, makes the case for public protest during the convention. It outlines the points of contention between police and specific activist groups; traces policing problems since 9/11; and (in the latter portion) provides a primer for conduct and profiles the major organized protests. I usually don't post pieces this long (about 29 minutes), but it's really well done, and creates a thoughtful context for the drama playing out in NYC.

With the Republican's spinning the demonstrations as unpatriotic and even anarchistic, this piece makes it clear how difficult it has become to exercise the right to protest and why the events this week have such potential for trouble.

Real Player clip here

link source: freespeech.org
more info: new york civil liberties union

A Little Further to the Right... A Little Further... A Little Bit More.... Good! You're Perfect!

The chart above, from an Op-Ed piece in yesterday's New York Times (here), shows where our presidential and vice-presidential candidates stand on the ideological continuum from liberal to conservative.

Recently, on the Daily Show, Jon Stewart looked at how the media creates "conventional wisdom." Generally, it seems, the strategy is to repeat certain sentences over and over and over again, such as "Kerry and Edwards are the first and fourth most liberal members in the United States Senate." As Stewart observes, "Talking points: they're true...because they're said a lot."

The chart would seem to indicate that Kerry and Edwards aren't quite as liberal as one might think (Edwards showing up pretty close to Lieberman, who's about as liberal as Zell Miller). What's even more interesting, though, is where Bush and Cheney show up on the "conservative" side of the spectrum. Both of them are far to the right of the "Senate median," and Cheney is as far to the right, if not farther, as Ted Kennedy is to the left.

The questions I find myself asking, then, are, how did it get to be such a dirty term to be considered a liberal, but being a conservative leaves one completely unchallenged? And why is it bad to be far from the mainstream on the left, but just fine to be as far if not farther from the mainstream on the right?

(>>From our Guest Blogger: Karen, here.)

(graphic: Paul Sahre for the New York Times)

Tired of Bush's Strong Arm Tactics

Employing a clever interactive device to illustrate the case against President Bush, the website, 10reasonstostopbush.com, suggests we've been getting played by this administration.

Give it a spin here.

(link source: jillian. Her dailykos journal here.)

Pretty Sad

About a week ago, I visited the subject of the Bush attack ad, "Kerry's Coalition of the Wild-eyed" (see: Jackie Would NEVER Have Let Jack Put Hitler in an Attack Ad!). If you had a chance to view the original Bush ad, you might be interested in this remix of the ad from a more liberal perspective.

(NOTE: THE LINKS TO THE VIDEO WE'RE BROKEN UNTIL NOW --7/15. SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE!)

Quicktime dial-up here
Quicktime broadband here

(clip: musicforamerica.org)

Beyond The Barb Wire

As the fallout from Abu Ghraib continues to reverberate, one way media and government seems to be responding is by taking a fresh look at the condition of people who are incarcerated or living under adverse political circumstances. Recently, I came across interactive pieces that reflect each condition.

An organization called Picture Projects has created a site, called "About 360," which tells the stories of individuals in the criminal justice system from the perspective of various people involved (the victim, the lawyer, the convict, etc.). Here is the entry page.

Also, the Canadian Broadcasting Company has produced a unique interactive piece providing an "on the ground" look at life in a refugee camp. The interface is like a video game (which possibly detracts from the seriousness), but it's also ernest and creative. Click here.

(refugee link: interactive narratives)

Glowing Parody

As far as low denominator, anti-nuke, flash animation goes, "Lil Suzy And Atomic Energy" (at virgilcrow.com) delivers the goods. I especially like the narrator.

Click HERE to view.