Newscoma

While watching CNN this morning I learned all about the clothing habits of Rick Santorum’s penchant for sweater vests. Yes indeed, a whole segment dedicated to this “secret weapon” which was apparently picked up by MSNBC just a few minutes ago.

The Jasper Award goes to the lazy coverage I’ve seen the last couple of days. How many times do I have to watch the same stump speech from Mitt Romney saying his been going steady with his wife, Ron Paul doing what Ron Paul does, Newt Gingrich snarling at people, Michelle looking oddly like she always does?

It’s been like a three-day press release. Where was the bite?

Salon writes:

Political journalism, of course, is supposed to be adversarial in nature. It’s supposed to be about providing a check on power, and about covering issues, elections and candidates without regard for whether the candidates and their staffs want them covered. Yet, what Capital New York tells us is a taboo truism that is rarely ever spoken out loud: Namely, that for all the faux conflict and chest thumping of the cable shows, and all the references to “Boys on the Bus” nostalgia among print reporters, political journalism today is now the mirror opposite of adversarial. It’s about people who preen around calling themselves “reporters,” but who are in reality just glorified royal courtiers simply transmitting press releases and spoon fed stories from the candidates and their staffs.

Couldn’t agree more. Enjoy your Jasper.

Public policy is not sexy, my friends. It’s not. If you have ever sat in a county commission, subcommittee meeting or anywhere quite frankly that policy is being discussed, it can be mind-numbing.

It is, however, the backbone of effective government and politics but its the one thing that so many people turn a deaf ear to.

More outrage and narrative comes will come after the policy is set into motion when many times the votes have been set and negotiated. And it’s too late. Don’t get me wrong, groups like TEP and Tennessee Citizens Action are always out at every meeting and watching potential legislation at all times. The issue is that in so many places in this state, what we have are empty city halls and courthouses where policy is shuffled on through without much fanfare.

Bills aren’t known until they hit subcommittee or up for action (and there were beau-coups of them last year during the General Assembly.) It’s fun for policy wonks to look things up but even going through state websites can be a bit tedious. Local action in counties and cities is where conversations with elected officials can be had one-on-one yet in the smaller communities I have lived in many times the meeting agendas weren’t released until that day showing little time to peruse.

Meeting with state reps and senators at the local diner and asking questions (and also requiring solid answers and not a wave of the hand or a dismissal is crucial.)

It’s easy to get on the outrage juice with national issues. Listening to some of the things I’ve heard on the news today which is IA Caucus ad nauseum, it is a bit mind-boggling.

So as we head into session, I’m taking my own way of doing things that I’m documenting over here at the ‘Coma. What are things that I have control over? What can I do in my own backyard? What language am I writing and speaking? Is it media/partisan word soup or is it fact-based? It’s easy to fall into calling caps on damages the old side car that it’s tort reform. It’s not, it’s caps on damages.

There is another key I’ve been thinking about right now and I realize I am being Captain Obvious but no one trusts government right now. Doesn’t matter what side of the aisle you might be sitting on. So how do we start believing that our government is effective? I think it is more simple than we might think. If we are stewards on making local and state politicians accountable for each decision they make by participating in the process, then that might help. I think one other key element is respecting those people who are doing these things already. It’s just as easy to say “Good Job” as it is to be outraged.

That’s what’s floating around my cranium today.

Today’s Jasper Award goes to Ron Paul. Now I know there are folks out there that love them some Paul. And I realize that he wants to legalize marijuana and stop war but he does have some issues that he might need to be a bit more accountable about.

From Raw Story:

Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul on Sunday admitted that racist and homophobic newsletters published in his name called into question his management style, but insisted there were only eight offensive sentences.

“I wrote a lot of part of the letter,” Paul told ABC’s Jake Tapper. “And I’ve never said I didn’t. I wrote some of the — you know, the economic parts. I was not the editor. I was the publisher. And there were some very bad sentences put in. I did not write those. I did not review them.”

Let’s think about this for just a moment. There is a bit of GOP word soup happening here. When anyone uses the word “only” that isn’t accountable. It happened. And he also has been accused of being a 9/11 truther although he does deny that little tidbit although a former staffer and senior aide confirms he shared many of those beliefs. And it does show flawed management skills from the good doctor.

That’s a paddlin’.

Let me be clear and I won’t stutter but do not let any pet near Mitt Romney.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney offered no defense Wednesday when asked about a dog he had made ride on the roof of his station wagon during a family vacation.

According to a 2007 Boston Globe profile of the candidate, Romney’s oldest son, Tagg, yelled, “Gross!” as he noticed a brown liquid flowing down the back window from the Irish Setter Seamus, who had been riding on car’s roof for hours.

“As the rest of the boys joined in the howls of disgust, Romney coolly pulled off the highway and into a service station,” the Globe noted. “There, he borrowed a hose, washed down Seamus and the car, then hopped back onto the highway. It was a tiny preview of a trait he would grow famous for in business: emotion-free crisis management.”

Who in the hell straps their dog in a crate on top of a car for hours? What was he thinking?

Our first Jasper award this year goes to Mitt Romney:

2011 was the year of transition.

For those of you still keeping up at home, I moved to Nashville on Dec. 1, 2010. I took a job that didn’t suit me, nor did I suit it, and after a bit of soul searching I opted to stay in the Music City. I resigned from that four month soul suck. Some things just aren’t meant to be. Most times I’m glad I stayed in middle Tennessee but there have been other times that I wondered what the hell was I thinking. Now I am most likely putting a lot more into my thought process when I say that there is much I loved about my online advocacy about Hoots.

Might not mean a lot to Hootsvillians, but it meant a lot to me. I know rural west Tennessee. The quirks and the subculture inspired me more that I can say. No one outside of northwest Tennessee got it, but I know the little details that make the place unique. In my own silly, self-serving way, I wanted to break some of the stereotypes of rural life. It never ceased to amaze me that folks outside of that area thought everyone was a rube about politics.

I’m pleased that Steve Steffens,

Eating Corn At Oktoberfest. It was tasty and gave me corn teeth. I had to cover my mouth when I ran into people I knew.

Betsy Phillips, The Hoots U folks and Steve Ross (on several occasions) took the time to come over and check it out for themselves. The online community in this state has offered me a wealth of opportunity, which I am grateful for. I remember Steffens and I sitting last November on the square in Dresden next to the Ned McWherter statue talking about the vibe of a small town, looking at so many closed businesses that surround the courthouse to this day. It was a moment between myself and Cracker.

We both knew the magnitude of what we were looking at and the silence of that moment was deafening.

Two days later, I would leave.

Well, I moved to Nashville and I suddenly found that I had misplaced my writing muse. I knew some of the bloggers up here which helped but I haven’t lived here in so long that I had forgotten much of the rhythm of this city. I’m too old to be a hipster (which I would suck at quite frankly) and I found that there was a controlled cynicism that I didn’t expect. In many ways, the political environment was the most surprising and I have been rather vocal in some of the small circles I run in that we need to remember that there are voters outside the 440 loop yet I know that those words fall to the wayside. And yet, I’m confident enough to know that I’m right on this one.

I am not complaining. I have been learning which is never easy. When a person is in transition, educating yourself is what you have to do. So what I learned this year is that there is a cadence to any place that must be explored. I have made friends outside the blogging world who have become special to me. I have kept the friends who are interested whom I met online. I am learning that Nashville is a whole bunch of small towns are glooped together to create a city. I have also learned that if you have a party that starts after 8 p.m. that my old ass can’t stay up as late as I used to. Last night, I was home by 7 in fresh pjs. I may also have moved into being a bit boring.

I’m fortunate that I have been given an opportunity through Mike McWherter. I want to say that. I am allowed to write his daily eblast and we are working on expanding the Out of the Blue website. I get to read stories from across the state and compile them daily. This has been absolutely wonderful. It’s been interesting to study policy before it hits the General Assembly.  I wish I could get folks more interested in model bills being sent to this state from think tanks owned by ALEC and the Koch Brothers but it’s like Tim Robbins character in The Shawshank Redemption. Little bits of concrete shavings at a time falling on the floor did create a progress over time. It’s not sexy enough for the most of the media, I guess.

Sure, there have been some deep disappointments and some giddy highs that have marked this year. It has been, for the most part, okay. Life is what it is. In this coming new year, I am hoping that the transition year of 2011 will move into positive action in 2012. And I am still looking for a new muse.

Have I told you about this little bar out in west Nashville? Maybe I should …

You work with what you have.

Sort of what you do.

I’ve been watching The Walking Dead since it debuted last year. The first mini-season was taut, wicked and unrelentless. So many scenes still resonate with me including the half of the body that Rick encounters when he leaves the hospital, the ride into Atlanta, him being surrounded by all of the zombies once he gets there and the ongoing lack of hope. The CDC couldn’t help was crucial for me although I have no idea why (they are the smart guys. The should know the answers.)  When Angela had to put down her sister, it was a bit of acting you don’t see on television that often.

Which brings me to this season which has been … well, let’s just say not as satisfying. The herds walking down the Interstate was tight and I liked the ongoing suspense of that opening scene. It worked.

And then there was Sophia which was just a drag.

The time on Hershel’s farm has been too long, too melodramatic and too much like watching formula soap operas on prime time. I like many of the characters, but the three leads have been overwrought. I get that Shane’s inner asshole, which was most likely always part of his character, had to evolve into his role of the antagonist but the faith struggle between Rick and Lori has, for me at least, been a snooze fest. It’s the supporting cast that have held things together and, quite frankly, I’m going to watch zombies anywhere because that’s what I do.

I just wanted it to be as good as its first season. I realize the behind the scenes squabbling but I’m a consumer and I wants what I wants.

Things I like about The Walking Dead:

• I do like that Glen is scared but does brave things anyway.
• Dale, oh how I love that he acts with every bit of his body and that face. He doesn’t have to say a word and you get everything that he does.
• Who doesn’t love our favorite white supremacist Darryl? The cross bow is also a character to me and I just dig he’s a badass. I’d rather him backing me up instead of Shane for obvious reasons.
• Reluctant leader Rick does what he has to do. I think that’s what the writers are trying to convey.
• The walkers. More walkers please.
• I think that our wily and uncohesive band of RV riding heroes have not gotten over being shell-shocked yet. They haven’t realized their Ka-Tet thus far which may be the point thus far.

We have until February until we see if the money shot at the end of Sunday night’s series was an indication that the series will take a more aggressive path in the plot. Or if that was a one-time deal, which I hoped it is not.

You can read Ron Hogan’s critique of the season finale at Den of Geek.

It took me a bit of time to get into American Horror Story for the mere fact that I don’t have F/X and have to be somewhat creative to see it. I did the marathon finally (as I am a commitment phobe about television shows) and if you like your scares gross, confusing and filled with a great deal of wicked guilt free horror, you’ll like it. If you don’t and need easy answers or or horrified on how many lines that have been crossed in the first 8 episodes of this series, you are going to hate it.

SPOILERS … Go Away if you don’t want to read my highly opinionated yet self indulgent theories and speculation.

Read the rest of this entry »

Today I turned the TV off because I could not bear it one second longer. This happens to me occasionally. So I decided to listen to The Decemberists because I was in that kind of mood today.

There are things about Nashville I really like. I have made new friends. I have discovered the Texas Melt at Broadway Brewhouse West. I have a job I dig although I am still looking for some part-time work to ease out of the last couple of years. Life isn’t bad. My afternoons are sort of boring me to death as I get up early to do The Blue so by 1 p.m. I’m itching to be around folks. (Call me, I am for hire in the afternoons. It keeps me out of trouble.)

Much to my surprise, I realized that one thing about this ol’ blog that I miss writing about is the characters that I met in Hoots and really how awesome they were. I was chattering about with Grandfille and Susan Wilson on Twitter the other day about Miss Sherri, Mr. Jimmy, Dirk Diggler and moonshine, and I realized that I haven’t found those characters here in middle Tennessee. I talked to my boss yesterday about the woman from Hoots who was married for one day in 1941, which may or may not be an urban legend.

There is a difference, you know, because there is a lack of self-consciousness in Hoots that I haven’t found here. There was a sense of humor there. I’m not saying that Nashville has a lack of humor, but it’s different.  It may just be me and most likely, it is.

I mean, for God’s sake, someone threw a ham at his mother in Union City and it made the paper this week as well as The Smoking Gun. You can’t make that sort of news up.

I did hear a man playing his guitar on Wednesday night in the apartment next to mine. He would strum a few notes and then stop. It took me a moment, but I realized that he was sobbing. It broke my heart. I don’t know my neighbors here but at that moment, I wanted to dig into the refrigerator, grab a couple of beers and knock on his door. The music was wistful and sad, and I had to think about when I have felt that way as well. I guess I’m not the only one with a little Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Did I mention Texas Melt and ham? Now I’m just hungry.

I read the news today, oh boy. About a lucky man who made the grade …

In watching the Occupy Wall Street arrests that happened overnight, I am apparently not getting one main thing which I will get to in a moment.

First of all, I remember actual news cycles. Deadlines for broadcast news as well as newspaper deadlines pretty much were an important thing prior to CNN coming on to the scene in 1980. In the past 30 years, news cycles changed from the 24/7 news cycles to the Internet and now on Twitter/Facebook. I find out more about breaking news from those two outlets than I do a newspaper these days.  It’s an electronic word-of-mouth, water cooler situation these days. I tend to want confirmation when it comes to certain things with links to reporters just for confirmation. (Reminder, Jeff Goldblum did not die although Twitter assured me he did a couple of years ago.)

So when police officers go into War Memorial Plaza in Nashville in the middle of the night or more recently last night’s arrests, which I find to be more than shady, do they not understand that people are tweeting and posting from their phones on social media sites?

News is hard to navigate these days.  There are hundreds of different ways to get it and in the online world you have about three seconds to get someone’s attention. One thing that the Occupy movement has done successfully is, on my twitter feed at least, is they have stayed on task about “branding” the Occupy label. I realize there is more to it than that one thing, believe me, but I’m talking about news branding right now.

What happens when you go and make arrests in the middle of the night is that you reinvigorate that which you are trying to disband. And as I said a couple of weeks ago, it was bad PR when Haslam did it, and it’s bad PR when other elected officials do it. Health issues? You can check that new anti-Occupy buzz term which is the word soup du jour during the daylight hours.

And it is not over, not by a long shot. The Occupy movement has changed the language of media in just a couple of months. I don’t think the media and elected officials thought that would happen.

And now we find out that Oakland’s mayor, Jean Quan, admitted she coordinated with other cities around the nation regarding Occupy before the raids began.

That’s interesting.

What we’ve seen in news this past week is that people are tired of being invisible. By making arrests in the middle of the night, elected officials are indeed treating people like they are invisible.

It’s not going to end anytime soon.

Photo Credit

There are times in our lives that I think we have those moments of complete self-awareness. One look in the mirror to see that you might think you still look 30, but you don’t. A second where you realize that although there are things you’ve done well, you are neither the best or the worst at your craft. You just are.

For me, I go into motion but I’m not sure that is always forward progress. There is a difference. For others, there is paralysis. It’s what makes us human. Which way do we go?

This isn’t meant to be a melancholy post but I have been thinking about a lot of stuff recently. Most importantly is how we have a nation mired in situational depression from an emotional standpoint. Long-term unemployment is debilitating. People, some in the twilight of their years, looking at changing careers. The divisive nature of our media is another thing I watch. In some ways, we live in a society that uses the term “but” a lot when it comes to new approaches to change.

I see things more than just black and white contrasts.

For me, I decompress watching horror (I am a delightful weirdo), sports and thinking that most likely the best ideas right now have to be completely outside of the box. Mainly, because the boxes of days of old don’t exist anymore.

Isn’t it about changing the game?

Quick thoughts on a gray Monday morning that don’t really go anywhere but are on my mind nonetheless.

I did a mini-marathon on American Horror Story this weekend.

Dang.

I don’t think I’ve ever watched a TV series that made me jump. Come on, this is new and fresh.

Well done, Ryan Murphy, well done. I have so much more to say because this is tasty. One thing, Jessica Lange and Francis Conroy should own the Emmys.

More later. And, yes, horror rules. It does. When it is well done, it will make you shiver.

As I said, more later.