His Failure Means Your Failure

For fans of Rush, brought to you on the public airwaves by local/regional hatetalkers WXIT 1200 AM and WHKY 1290 AM--do you really think that Rush represents your humble values? Do you think that he is a regular guy, just like you--trying to make it through one more day of hard work?

And, just like you, at the end of the day, Rush goes home to his 25,000 square foot mansion. Yes?

Well, check this video out. Mike Papantonio serves up the much anticipated response to Rush's belief that regular folks do not deserve to get any help if they are in a financial crisis--whether that crisis is of the foreclosure variety--or any other kind.



Hatred. Rush wants Obama to fail--so that YOU will suffer.

Save The Date

Could be fun, if he decides to show up. It's nice to see something other than a strongly-worded memo sent Karl's way...from rawstory.com:

Invoking President Barack Obama, House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) has subpoenaed former Bush Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove about his alleged involved in the political prosecution of an Alabama governor and the firings of nine US Attorneys.
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The subpoena, approved by an earlier vote of the House, was issued pursuant to "authority granted in H.R. 5 (111th Congress), and calls for Mr. Rove to appear at deposition on Monday, February 2, 2009."
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“I have said many times that I will carry this investigation forward to its conclusion, whether in Congress or in court, and today’s action is an important step along the way,” Conyers said in a release. “Change has come to Washington, and I hope Karl Rove is ready for it. After two years of stonewalling, it’s time for him to talk.”
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One of the few remaining courageous journalists in this country had a lot to do with this development. Her name is Larisa Alexandrovna, and you really should read her remarkable work covering Rove.

Do A Charter?

Are any High Country media outlets going to report on the possibly fast-approaching Charter Cable bankruptcy? We were just thinking that it might be something worth covering--you know, since Charter provides most of the High Country area with cable service.

Might all of the Charter Cable subscribers soon become Time Warner subscribers? And did you know that Charter Cable is carrying a debt load of "around $4,000 a subscriber"? From Reuters:

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A debt reorganization by Charter Communications Inc (CHTR.O) could foreshadow a bankruptcy filing and will likely kick off a new wave of U.S. cable consolidation in the next year.
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The fourth-largest U.S. cable operator, Charter is highly leveraged with more than $21 billion of debt on its balance sheet versus a market capitalization of just $57 million. The poor capital structure distorts the valuation, experts say.

For instance, No. 2 U.S. cable company Time Warner Cable Inc (TWC.N), widely acknowledged as a likely buyer of Charter's cable systems, is valued at around $2,400 a subscriber by analysts at Miller Tabak, while Charter's debt load is currently around $4,000 a subscriber.

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If Charter does file for bankruptcy, most long-time cable watchers and insiders expect Time Warner Cable and larger operator Comcast Corp (CMCSA.O) to "do an Adelphia." In 2005, both companies combined to buy up the cable systems of the bankrupt Adelphia, which made sense for their respective operations.

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"Do an Adelphia"? That's gotta hurt. Full article here.

Oh--and hey, anything that leads to more media consolidation in 2009 would be just super. You know, since the last round of consolidation went so well.

Union-Made Miracle

Ask any conservative, and they'll tell you how awful unions are. How the unions are destroying America--threatening the very fabric of our society.

Were there any High Country residents on board US Airways Flight 1549 (bound for Charlotte), which recently went down in New York's Hudson River after experiencing a double bird strike?

Do you wonder who got those passengers to safety? Union professionals did. From firedoglake.com--the entire post:

They're calling it a miracle--the successful landing of a US Airways jet in the Hudson and subsequent rescue of all 155 passengers. They're detailing the heroism of all involved, starting with the pilot and including cabin crew, ferry crews, and first responders. What they're not telling you is that just about every single one of these heros is a union member.

There's the pilot:

What might have been a catastrophe in New York — one that evoked the feel if not the scale of the Sept. 11 attack — was averted by a pilot’s quick thinking and deft maneuvers,

[snip]

On board, the pilot, Chesley B. Sullenberger III, 57, unable to get back to La Guardia, had made a command decision to avoid densely populated areas and try for the Hudson,

[snip]

When all were out, the pilot walked up and down the aisle twice to make sure the plane was empty, officials said.

Sullenberger is a former national committee member and the former safety chairman for the Airline Pilots Association and now represented by US Airline Pilots Association. He--and his union--have fought to ensure pilots get the kind of safety training to pull off what he did yesterday.

Then there are the flight attendants:

One passenger, Elizabeth McHugh, 64, of Charlotte, seated on the aisle near the rear, said flight attendants shouted more instructions: feet flat on the floor, heads down, cover your heads.

They are members of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA. Yesterday's accident should remind all of us that flight attendants are first and foremost safety professionals--they should not be treated like cocktail waitresses.

There are the air traffic controllers:

The pilot radioed air traffic controllers on Long Island that his plane had sustained a “double bird strike.”

They're represented by the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. Someday, they'll rename National Airport for the work these men and women do to keep us safe in the air.

There are the ferry crews:

As the first ferry nudged up alongside, witnesses said, some passengers were able to leap onto the decks. Others were helped aboard by ferry crews.

They're represented by the Seafarers International Union. They provide safety training to their members so they're prepared for events like yesterday's accident.

There are the cops and firemen:

Helicopters brought wet-suited police divers, who dropped into the water to help with the rescues.

They're represented by the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association and the Uniformed Firefighters Association and Uniformed Fire Officers Association (IAFF locals).They're the men and women who performed so heroically on 9/11--and they've been fighting to make sure first responders get the equipment to do this kind of thing.

Bob Corker and Richard Shelby like to claim that union labor is a failed business model.

But I haven't heard much about Bob Corker and Richard Shelby saving 155 people's lives.

Update: Sullenberger's union membership corrected, UFOA added.

Evil, evil unions. They are all lazy employees, who serve no purpose--right, conservatives?

Radio Silence: No Contact

Here's some more excellent radio programming that you will never hear broadcast over the airwaves of the High Country--a program called Making Contact explores the Peculiar Business of Wayne C. Henderson, with a twist of Wilkes County thrown in:

We travel to the homeland of American bluegrass to visit the workshop of guitar builder Wayne C. Henderson. His instruments are considered some of the best in the world. His current waiting list is ten years long. Wayne could charge big bucks for his instruments, but he's not driven by money. He works by a different set of values. It's a strange way to do business, but has surprising benefits. Once, those values ended up saving Wayne's life.
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Do you ever catch yourself wondering why programming like this is not carried in the High Country? Listen to the program here.

Radio Silence: Gimme A Beat

Why is it that some of the most informative radio programming is never aired in the High Country? Case in point: Earthbeat Radio. We've talked about the fact that Earthbeat is not aired in the High Country before, but this time around Earthbeat has an interview with Donna Marie Lisenby of Upper Watauga Riverkeepers, which is a part of Boone-based Appalachian Voices. The program is about the huge coal slurry disaster in Tennessee.

We understand that Aisling Broadcasting will never carry any kind of programming even remotely like Earthbeat Radio. But what about WASU-FM? Where are they on this issue? Anywhere? Amazing considering that ASU faculty is assisting with the clean up effort in Tennessee.

Exactly what does WASU-FM do to fulfill its public service mission? Read Homeland Security public service announcements on the air all day?

Because of the fact that WASU-FM does not take its public service mission seriously, we suffer. We can't even tune in to a local station to hear about our own local groups as they take on some of the biggest environmental challenges we've ever faced.

Listen to this week's Earthbeat Radio program here.

Newsflash: News Covered In Democrat

What do you call it when the local newspaper starts to...um, cover the news?

The Watauga Democrat actually posted an article about the extent of the local foreclosure crisis. Why did they wait so long to use the intergoogles and do a little semi-independent sniffing around?

Foreclosures of property more than doubled in 2008 compared to 2007 in Watauga County.

According to the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office, 76 notice of foreclosure hearings were served in 2007. Last year, that number climbed to 381, as of mid-December.

The notice of foreclosure is the first step in the process. Not all notices result in foreclosure. Clerk of court Glenn Hodges explained there are some differences in the numbers of notices served by WCSO and the relation to properties within the county. Officers may serve a notice of foreclosure hearing on a resident of Watauga for a property outside the county. Hodges estimated 40 notices of foreclosure hearings for Watauga property in 2007 and 225 in 2008.
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We started wondering out loud about the lack of local coverage of the foreclosure crisis almost exactly one year ago to the day today. See our posts here and here.

It is hard not to conclude that the Democrat may have decided that this was a non-story a long time ago--perhaps thinking that only urban minorities were the ones being foreclosed upon? Or, perhaps the Democrat blew the story off because, well, people in foreclosure can't afford to buy newspapers--and most importantly, they can't afford to purchase any of the items advertised in the newspaper. So, why bother.

Homeland Security USA: Surf's Up!

How harmful can it be? It sounds like a Beach Boys tune.

What do you call it again when television programs intentionally set out to play up the glorious activities of the government's military/police establishment?

We're thinking of a word here...just can't quite grasp it...

Ah, yes. Propaganda! That's it!

“Homeland Security USA,” is a new “reality” show that will premiere on ABC television tonight. With 13 shows ordered for its first season, the series claims to be based on the daily tasks federal workers carry out for the government department formed in the wake of the September 11th attacks.
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Despite showcasing a government department that has faced lawsuits including those filed for immigrant deaths in its detention facilities, the show’s producer, Arnold Shapiro, whose previous credits include, “Big Brother,” has claimed that “Homeland Security USA” is apolitical and not government propaganda. How[e]ver, according to the Associated Press, the Department was allowed to prescreen episodes before being aired. Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security has also ignited controversy in the public media, purchasing underwriting on NPR for its E-Verify program which is set to go into effect this month.
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See that? Homeland Security got to prescreen the episodes! The stamp of government approval. That can only be good. It's not propaganda after all! Take a listen to Uprising Radio's coverage of the new propaganda show.

We were kind wondering if ABC (or some other network) might just be willing to do a show that covers the daily activities of the 20,000 U.S. Army troops who are now stationed in the U.S for domestic deployment. You know--to help out and stuff. From Glenn Greenwald:

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When The Army Times, in September, reported that for "the first time an active [U.S. Army] unit has been given a dedicated assignment to NorthCom, a joint command established in 2002 to provide command and control for federal homeland defense efforts and coordinate defense support of civil authorities," those of us who raised questions and concerns about that deployment were told that this was but one little brigade -- just 4,500 combat troops -- and nothing meaningful could be done with such a deployment.
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Yesterday, The Washington Post reported on a much-expanded plan: "The U.S. military expects to have 20,000 uniformed troops inside the United States by 2011." Like most expansions of government power, it was the Terrorist Threat that was invoked to "justify" this radical shift in policy:

Before the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, dedicating 20,000 troops to domestic response -- a nearly sevenfold increase in five years -- "would have been extraordinary to the point of unbelievable," Paul McHale, assistant defense secretary for homeland defense, said in remarks last month at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Have a listen to Glenn's radio program as he interviews Gene Healy (a libertarian!) about these domestic troop deployments.

Ha! You're Killin' Me!

And not in a funny way. So who are the big polluters in the High Country? What exactly are they spewing? You won't find out through any of the local media outlets, so here you go:

Ashe County:
Polluters
Chemicals

Avery County (no listings):
Polluters
Chemicals

Watauga County:
Polluters
Chemicals

Wilkes County:
Polluters
Chemicals

These are excellent examples of how the private sector transfers massive costs onto the rest of us--to clean up after them--after they despoil the commons.