News In Brief (And The Usual Opinionated Commentary)

This week has seen the firestorm of the Imus affair overshadow other significant stories with the potential for more long-term impact on people's lives. I cannot think of a time when a story has gripped the media, activist leaders, and people in general more than other events (that normally would have received top-bill, or at least a far more prominent place in the pecking order of stories, covered by the usual suspects).

While the hypocrites like Al Sharpton were busy turning this into the circus that it eventually became, some other stories were overlooked:


Chavez To Take Control Of Oil Fields By Force

"On May 1 we are going to take control of the oil fields," Chavez said. "I'm sure no transnational company is going to draw a shotgun, but we will go with the armed forces and the people."

If I were the oil companies, I'd be tempted to use a scorched earth policy. Oil companies have invested heavily in this exploration and development. They put up the capital, the time, the labor, and for some thug like Chavez to wrest it by force, is theft. We would see how innovative Hugo would be with no process to make the tar-like crude, usable and ready for sale. Burn it to the ground, I say. They are going to lose it all, anyway.


Exiled Russian Dissident Signs His Own Death Warrant

Exiled tycoon Boris Berezovsky, a onetime Kremlin power broker-turned-fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir V. Putin, in remarks published Friday called for the use of "force" to change Russia's government.

Give credit for some guts. After many of those critical of Putin have mysteriously managed to get dead, he comes right out, announces his wishes and possible intentions. But, if I were him, I would not have said anything to the media, just yet. All that have been meaning to tell Boris they love him, had better do it soon.


A Jihadist Among Us

Gosh, who knew? In fact, don't tell anyone, but I think there may be more.


One Too Many Jihadist In The Iraqi Parliament

Unfortunately, by the time we found this out, he had killed someone and hurt many others.



These stories are the significant ones that will more than likely be overlooked on the weekend talk circuit.

What will we get? More Imus, more Al, more Jesse. More piling on, more over-analyzing, etc.

Right now, the direction some are taking this is not called for. Al is reportedly receiving death threats.

In all cases of controversy, there are death threats. It may be deplorable, but it happens more times than reported. Big stories that get this amount of coverage, always have a way of flushing out kooks and despicable bastards. There is no need to make this some big deal in the press, other than to generate more sympathy for a cause already won. Other than to do what they're doing (which is to increase security and keep a paper trail of all threats), there's not much else you can do. By making this known publicly, they only risk more.

Now that Imus has been fired, now that Imus has met with the ones that have the right to be the maddest, it should be going away. Right? Yet somehow the skeptic in me says that Al may try to keep this going longer, by doing what he does best (by making himself the focus of attention).

If you really want to understand better how jobs like this work, you have to read this article.

This is nothing new. Media Matters is but one watchdog agency that have become a large component in this whole concept, known as the thought police. Now they are targeting others they disagree with. They will not stop until they purge the airwaves of them. So you see? There really is a slippery slope.

There's more, but that's all we have time for right now. Until next time.