The Noise Machine (02/02/10)

Six more weeks of mild weather with cold nights before the oven turns on.....



Let's start with Slampo, who dissects ChronBlog's new "Good Life" section and finds the results to be less than inspiring. (Yet this was thought of so highly that certain neighborhoods received free copies of it, many of which disintegrated in the rain into news pulp instead of news crap.)


Regarding this story by ChronBlog's Mike Snyder...BlogHouston notes the political baggage that Icken carries with him, and Houston Tomorrow broke the story....But hey! We've got the Good Life!


Looked to me like the Groundhog didn't want any part of it. (Of course, you'd be miffed as well if some old guy wrenched you away from your nap and held you in front of bright camera lights in the cold.) Fortunately, in Houston, Winter's really not all that bad.


The Fruit-loops beat is back not all of the time of course, but it's a sad reflection on the media in Houston when the former newspaper of record is taking its lead from TV stations. (Ideally, of course, it's the other way around.)


It's embarrassing when the inferiority complex of Houston's elite is put on public display by ChronBlog. Dammit, we know you're afraid your friends in New York don't take you seriously but keep us out of it would you? (Damn embarrassing if you ask me. "oooh, we matter, look at us" Meh....)



It's about damn time. That is all.


Oh deer.


The Bill White er...Texas Tribune takes a look at the high level of influence of Law firms in judicial races. And yes....they advocate. (Blame the editorial direction. Mr. Smith can't help himself.) On second thought...Blame the reporter. (H/T Kevin Whited.) (In any other industry that'd be a gross conflict of interest that would result in the instant removal of the worker from the story. Obviously those things are of no concern to the leadership of the Tribune.) OK, blame the inattentive blogger....As was kindly pointed out to me by Evan Smith via e-mail, Abby Rappaport didn't write this article. And here I thought I had something. Mea Culpa and my apologies to Ms. Smith. My concerns about Ms. Rappaport's position on an obviously partisan foundation however are still valid, in my opinion, yours may vary.*


So, what we need to get more federal funding for high-speed rail is to spend more money on the State level building a bureaucracy? ("All I want is what's coming to me, all I want is my fair share.")**


And finally.....


What happened to Democracy? - We frittered it away with low voter participation and the discovery of the public that they can vote themselves great public benefits at the cost of everyone just one pay grade higher than they.






See, unlike ChronBloggers we air our dirty laundry out for the World to see. Hey, we're all human, and when you're wrong you're wrong. No reason to cover it up. Excuse me now why I go shoot the editor.
**Yes, that's a Peanut's reference. Can you name who said it?