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Calpundit picks up on the False Memory experiments that Memory and Eyewitness Identification Diva Elizabeth Loftus disclosed yesterday during her presentation at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Denver. We wrote about this yesterday here, and quoted an AP article that has some additonal examples of experiments demonstrating the phenomenon.
We also mentioned we were going to attend the party for the science writers and would report back. It was really a lot of fun. We went with Elizabeth around 7 (we've been good pals since we worked together on the memory and eyewitness aspects in the McVeigh case) and stayed until midnite. It turned out to be a press party--one not for the writers of the scientific articles and journals, but for the international press who writes about them, i.e., journalists. At least a few hundred of them.
Most of the reporters we met were from Europe--many from Germany.
Not knowing too much about science, and it being the day after the massive anti-war protests here and in Europe, we decided to play journalist with them and query them about the war. At first they didn't want to render an opinion, protesting they were journalists and not supposed to take sides, but after a few drinks, most loosened up and we soon had the liveliest table in the huge room. (There was a dj, dance floor, non-stop mexican food and open bar.)
We sported a tiny black and white "peace" button on our lapel, that turned out to be a conversation opener. After getting "hems and haws" as a response when we first broached the subject, which we attributed to politeness, we pointed to our button. Without exception, once the writers knew that was our position, they lit up with smiles and started talking.
Suffice it to say that not one of those we spoke to wanted the U.S. to start this war, had a favorable opinion about Bush, or thought it would solve our terrorist problems. Many resented the U.S. forcing the world into war and said it was doing so by playing on past loyalties and debts. The Germans in particular said they were very grateful to the U.S. for getting rid of Hitler and helping their country out financially, but at some point the debt should be declared repaid and calling for them to join in the war on Iraq was over and above what they have to do in payback.
As for Elizabeth Loftus, she's doing great at her new home at UC Irvine--in our post yesterday, we struggled with characterizing her as a "diva" or a "guru" of memory and eyewitness identification, and ended up using "guru." We took a vote on which word suited her better at the table last night, and it was 10 to 0 with all ten, including Elizabeth, voting for Diva instead of guru. So from now on, we will refer to her as Diva.
Ok, I'm no network program exec, but...... Listen up MSNBC,Please keep up the good work.
I really enjoy the weekend "news" stories. Especially the exposes on fat people who aren't fat anymore. Please make more dieting documentaries. For instance; I'd like to see Al Rochers arms and legs surgically removed on television. Is that feasible?
Also..... I would like to see more stories about cats. Any kind of cats will do. (Enough with the pretentious inbred dog shows.) And more car chases ....with car chases, you can't go wrong.
Here are some more subjects/ideas I think MSNBC should consider. Especially on weekends, when there is no actual news because everyone goes home and stops making up news.
1- More shows about designer penis enlargement medications like the old ones starring Bob Dole. I know, prostate surgery is in this season. But I miss the hearty old time bounders.
2- More shows about prostitutes and strippers. Especially child prostitutes. America loves child prostitutes! Doesn't really matter about the kinds of strippers or prostitutes actually, America likes them all. Housewife prostitutes?
3- More celebrities gone bad shows. Like those former child-star exposes about once popular and beloved personalities who grow up into rogue adult miscreants and prostitutes. America likes celebrity prostitutes too. People are sick of Michael Jackson. People are begining to think that you are paying Michael Jackson to act weird just so you can report that Michael Jackson is acting weird. Its getting old. Whats Gary Condit up to? Can't you go bother Gary Condit some more. Does Gary Condit know any prostitutes?
Strippers for God? Obese lesbian prostitutes on diets! You know what I mean? Fancy Lady stories. More Fancy Lady stories.
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Former Vanity Fair and Talk Magazine editor Tina Brown just closed a deal for her own talk show on CNBC--a "roundtable" she calls it. She praises Tim Russert and disses George Stephanopoulos.
Tina has her own take on liberal media--we wonder if she's read Eric's book, anyway, here's what she says:Being a liberal on political TV right now would be a unique selling proposition. Almost all the other talk shows tilt unapologetically rightwards. Conservative-leaning cable talk shows get better ratings, but the propaganda from the other side is that it’s not because they have more viewers, it’s just that they stay tuned longer. CNN viewers watch for an average of about 14 minutes. The typical right-wing talk show fan hangs in there for more than 20 minutes. It seems that CNN viewers watch for news while conservative talk viewers watch for entertainment. They get their jollies nodding along with potato-faced white guys with an up-yours point of view.She doesn't much care for most of the debate-style cable news shows, likening their hosts to Leopold and Loeb, but she loves Larry King.
The name of the show? She didn't say, only that it will have her name in the title. Anyway, we wish her well. She was a tremendously successful publisher, she knows everyone, how can she lose?
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ruled today that PBS's Frontline may not tape jury deliberations during a murder trial.
We agree with the ruling, for reasons we've stated here.
Update: Here's the text of the decision.
A new anti-war song--with speech clips by Bush and others interspersed in the music. It's brand new, and free to download. Called, In the Garden of Eden --it's by a group facetiously called The Compassionate Conservatives--it's good stuff.
The group says, "We are releasing this song in MP3 format only via the Internet. Free download for anyone, no registration process, no cookies, absolutely no strings attached! Our mission is to uncover the deception and hypocrisy being foisted upon the American public by an arrogant Administration."
Here are the download sites--it's virus free we are assured.
You can download from any of the sites, wherever you are.
We're listening to Eric Alterman right now on the Mike Rosen radio show in Denver, station 850 AM. (Thanks to Walter in Denver for the alert)
Eric will be on O'Reilly's The Factor tonight.
Update: Calpundit's just completed interview with Eric is up.
We won't be posting until later tonight. We're going to debating the Michael Jackson brouhaha on Hannity & Colmes around 9:45 EST. We'll be defending Michael. How sleezy of whoever leaked the deposition transcripts of his long ago lawsuit. Depositions aren't evidence unless they are admitted at trial--in most places, depositions aren't even filed with the Court. They are tools for discovery, not public documents. Sean, no doubt, won't agree.
Update: Gloria Allred just said on O'Reilly the transcript was filed with the court.
This Modern World has more.
What Liberal Media? by Eric Alterman
Buy the Book Today!
Read the 13 page Introduction now and visit the website.
Update: Eric was on MSNBC Sunday afternoon for a few short segments and had to deal with three right wingers opposing him. Yet Chris Matthews has scheduled Bernard Goldberg, whose book on bias in the media came out over a year ago, by himself for a full hour. We need to do an email campaign to get Eric on the air with equal time. We got these contacts from Atrios, go ahead, send them an e-mail. Here's a convenient cut and paste into your email:
hardball@msnbc.com, Booktv@c-span.org, totn@npr.org, tmshow@umich.edu, onthemedia@wnyc.org, waitwait@npr.org, atc@npr.org, brianlehrershow@wnyc.org, nyandco@wnyc.org
Or, individually, contact Chris Matthews at hardball@msnbc.com and politely suggest he have Eric Alterman on his show.
Contact Charlie Rose and politely suggest he have Eric Alterman on the show.
Contact C-Span's book notes (Booktv@c-span.org) and politely say how nice it would be to have Eric Alterman on the show.
Neal Conan at Talk of the Nation (totn@npr.org) and politely say how nice it would be to have Eric Alterman on the show.
Diane Rehm at the Diane Rehm show and politely say how nice it would be to have Eric Alterman on the show.
Click and Clack at Car Talk and politely say how nice it would be to have Eric Alterman on the show.
Todd Mundt at the Todd Mundt show and politely say how nice it would be to have Eric Alterman on.
On the Media (onthemedia@wnyc.org) and politely say how nice it would be to have Eric Alterman on.
Contact the Connection and politely say how nice it would be to have Eric Alterman on.
Contact Wait Wait Don't Tell Me (waitwait@npr.org) and politely say how nice it would be to have Eric Alterman on.
Contact Michael Feldman from Whaddya Know and politely say how nice it would be to have Eric Alterman on.
Contact All Things Considered (atc@npr.org )and politely say how nice it would be to have Eric Alterman on.
UPDATE: Skip whichever of the above is also known as Fresh Air, Eric's already scheduled there.
Once the Stones committed to do the free concert for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the nonprofit organization distributed 12,000 tickets via sweepstakes to anyone who wanted them. ... Clinton urged the crowd to demand cars that use cleaner fuel, lightbulbs that are more energy-efficient and increased use of solar power. The crowd cheered.The concert came to be largely due to the work of Steven Bing, Hollywood producer and heir to an estimated $600-million real estate fortune and a major donor to the environmentally conscious NRDC.
We hope we never get on skippy's bad side the way CNN Anchor Aaron Brown did today--our ears were burning for him. It's a skippy classic.
Arrives in bookstores tomorrow....Read the 13 page Introduction now and visit the website.
Acclaimed author and journalist Eric Alterman's scathing and witty investigation into who really controls the media. Armed with data and in brisk, light-hearted prose, Alterman exposes the fallacy of the vast left-wing conspiracy that never was.
What Liberal Media?
by Eric Alterman
Buy the Book Today!
Here's Eric's tentative media schedule:
Television Appearances (tentative):
The O'Reilly Factor on Fox at 7 on 2/4
Crossfire, CNN at 7 on 2/5
John Gibson, Fox at 5 on 2/6
Nachman MSNBC at 5, on 2/7
Personal Appearances:
Seattle, WA: Mon., 2/17, 7pm: University Bookstore
Berkeley, CA: Tues., 2/18, 7:30pm: Cody's Books
San Francisco, CA: Wed., 2/19, 7pm: City Lights
Los Angeles, CA: Fri., 2/21, 7:30pm: skylight Books
New York, NY: Tues., 2/25, 7:30pm: Barnes & Noble (82nd & Bdwy)
Washington, DC: Thurs., 3/6, 7pm: Politics & Prose
We know, we know, we've been talking about Country Joe and the Fish and the Feel Like I'm Fixing to Die Rag for months--tonight Politics in the Zeros talks about him, and leads us to Country Joe's current website--and a transcript of his testimony (which we were unaware of) in the famous Chicago 8 conspiracy trial in Chicago.
Here are the official lyrics to the song. You can listen to it here.
This is Country Joe getting ready to sing the song at Woodstock.
Well come on all you new young men Uncle Sam's in a mess againCountry Joe served in the army--he was honorably discharged from the Navy in 1965. Here's his certificate of discharge.
Got himself in a terrible jam
With a crazy Muslim named Saddam
So put dowm your bibles pick up your guns
We're gonna have a whole lot of FUN
And it's 1 2 3 what are we fighting for
Don't ask me I don't give a damn
I just know we gotta kill Saddam
And its 5 6 7 open up the pearly gates
Aint no time to wonder why
Big oil is startin to cryWell come on all of you christian right
Come on Dubya ,better move fast
We all know you love a good fight
Now's your chance for a last crusade
The whole damn word has got to be saved
Just remember when your children all die
They'll be standing at the good Lord's side
Our gas is burnin and it won't last
Your daddy started but he couldn't finish
Now's your chance to make your own image
Aren't you glad you don't have sons
Cause we're callin up the guard for this one
We also found the website for Barry "The Fish" Melton, who co-founded Country Joe and the Fish with Country Joe in 1965. He became a criminal defense lawyer, and most recently, serves as the Public Defender in Yola County, California. He still performs his music.
Last but not least, here is the official website for the band, Country Joe and the Fish.
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