Wednesday, November 30, 2005

Blog Against Racism

Tomorrow’s Blog Against Racism day. I have a good post in me. I hope I can get it written for tomorrow. Then again, tomorrow’s just a beginning:

December 1, 2005 - the 50th anniversary of Rosa Parks’ heroic act of civil disobedience on that Montgomery bus - [is] “Blog Against Racism” day, in which people post something on the very broad and complex subject of racism. You don’t need to have a political blog to participate. Race, after all, affects almost every aspect of life in one way or another. Your post might be literary in nature, or historical, or concern current issues in need of political attention. You might take the opportunity to debunk scientific racism, or write poetry or essays about personal experiences, uplifting or depressing.

With luck, the discussion engendered will endure past midnight on December 2.

Boo! Hiss!

The new Nightline’s awful!

Romenesko:

The problem with the new “Nightline” extends far beyond the ascendance of the news troika of Cynthia McFadden, Terry Moran and Martin Bashir, says Robert Bianco. “The fatal flaw is the destruction of the old format: one host leading us through one topic for one half-hour. Now you have three stars presenting three stories; none were given significantly more time to develop than they would have found on most any other televised newscast.”

Koppel’s last words on his last night:

Give this new anchor team for Nightline a fair break. If you don’t, I promise you the network will just put another comedy show in this time slot. And then you’ll be sorry.

I’d say that’s pretty much a done deal. And debuting in its regular time slot would not make this show any sweeter.

Dave Chappelle, say for example, would be a whole lot better than this.

LATER - Slate on the New York Magazine article detailing Koppel’s leaving ABC:

On the heels of Nightline anchor Ted Koppel’s retirement, an article reveals that Koppel did not go gentle into that good night. “[H]e’s pissed,” says a friend. Now Koppel is starting up a production group with longtime Nightline producer Tom Bettag; their next project maybe a show called The F-ing Media.

Boston and DC and the holiday tree

Falwell’s fa la la la lawyers are keeping busy fighting the War on Christmas in Boston and DC. (Falwell on GMA just now, “...we’re kicking their butts and they’re unhappy.")

Sunday Joe Gandelman brought us this story from Boston:

Boston set off a furor this week when it officially renamed a giant tree erected in a city park a “holiday tree” instead of a “Christmas tree.”

The move drew an angry response from Christian conservatives, including evangelist Jerry Falwell who heckled Boston officials and pressed the city to change the name back.

“There’s been a concerted effort to steal Christmas,” Falwell told Fox Television.

Last night John pointed out that the Speaker of the House is on the case. He wrote the Capitol architect:

If it’s a spruce tree adorned with 10,000 lights and 5,000 ornaments displayed on the Capitol grounds in December, it’s a Christmas tree and that’s what it should be called, says House Speaker Dennis Hastert.

All just as you’d expect. But somehow Fox News missed the memo!

Fox News, the media company whose hosts have staunchly defended the public use of the word “Christmas,” is raising eyebrows after posting a story on its website with the headline, “Holiday Trees Arrive at Capitol, White House.”

Via World O’Crap.