Thursday, September 27, 2007
OVER THE TOP
This week our state, nation, and world have witnessed several examples of over-the-top behavior from persons in responsible positions, who should have known better.
We have seen this from one of our own state university football coaches, our state’s largest newspaper, the president of a prestigious ivy-league university, and our own national president.
For what appears to be good cause, Coach Mike Gundy engaged in a 3-minute tirade against a sportswriter and her editor. The Militant Moderate read the original article that Saturday morning, and he had pronounced it inappropriate and hurtful to a college kid who could not defend himself. The coach took public time from relishing the joy of a hard fought victory to defend the player in a wild, angry tirade. Not so good!
However, we disagree with those who say the conversation should have been private with the news reporter. Her offense to the young man was public, and the coach made a public defense. However, the manner and style of his rant was “over the top.”
The newspaper took its front page to make an over-the-top response. This was akin to using the proverbial ball bat to kill a mosquito. The tempest in the teapot became the oceanic typhoon.
The coach has become something of a national folk hero as a result. Oklahoma TV stations have reported 90% responses favoring the coach. That probably indicates something about the public’s view of media in general, and that reporter and newspaper in particular. It may also indicate the public’s irritation with a perceived imbalance in sports media coverage.
Then we have Columbia’s President Bollinger’s over-the-top, insulting introduction of a visiting foreign dignitary speaking by his invitation on campus. What utter rudeness! Regardless of negative public views on President Ahmadinejad, he deserves courteous treatment when an invited guest on campus.
Again, there are other more courteous ways of eliciting the guest speaker’s “real” views on certain controversial utterances of the past – rather than making a frontal public attack on his character in an introduction as he stands politely quiet as an invited guest before a largely hostile audience. The university president’s behavior in insulting a guest he had personally invited was cowardly and despicable.
It might have been interesting to hear what Ahmadinejad would have had to say directly to an American audience, rather than through his political speeches to his home crowds and in interviews with our bullying media reporters like Scott Pelley on 60 Minutes.
Lastly, President Bush was a minor player in the “in your face” scenes of the week. Even with his negative perception throughout the world as an ignorant bully, he chose his trip to the U.N. General Assembly to call out the sins of Myanmar (Burma) and a few other smaller nations, to insult them, and to threaten sanctions.
While these criticisms may have been justly deserved, could not our president have been more positive from the world’s platform for once?
When will we ever learn?
Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard, AKA The Militant Moderate
We have seen this from one of our own state university football coaches, our state’s largest newspaper, the president of a prestigious ivy-league university, and our own national president.
For what appears to be good cause, Coach Mike Gundy engaged in a 3-minute tirade against a sportswriter and her editor. The Militant Moderate read the original article that Saturday morning, and he had pronounced it inappropriate and hurtful to a college kid who could not defend himself. The coach took public time from relishing the joy of a hard fought victory to defend the player in a wild, angry tirade. Not so good!
However, we disagree with those who say the conversation should have been private with the news reporter. Her offense to the young man was public, and the coach made a public defense. However, the manner and style of his rant was “over the top.”
The newspaper took its front page to make an over-the-top response. This was akin to using the proverbial ball bat to kill a mosquito. The tempest in the teapot became the oceanic typhoon.
The coach has become something of a national folk hero as a result. Oklahoma TV stations have reported 90% responses favoring the coach. That probably indicates something about the public’s view of media in general, and that reporter and newspaper in particular. It may also indicate the public’s irritation with a perceived imbalance in sports media coverage.
Then we have Columbia’s President Bollinger’s over-the-top, insulting introduction of a visiting foreign dignitary speaking by his invitation on campus. What utter rudeness! Regardless of negative public views on President Ahmadinejad, he deserves courteous treatment when an invited guest on campus.
Again, there are other more courteous ways of eliciting the guest speaker’s “real” views on certain controversial utterances of the past – rather than making a frontal public attack on his character in an introduction as he stands politely quiet as an invited guest before a largely hostile audience. The university president’s behavior in insulting a guest he had personally invited was cowardly and despicable.
It might have been interesting to hear what Ahmadinejad would have had to say directly to an American audience, rather than through his political speeches to his home crowds and in interviews with our bullying media reporters like Scott Pelley on 60 Minutes.
Lastly, President Bush was a minor player in the “in your face” scenes of the week. Even with his negative perception throughout the world as an ignorant bully, he chose his trip to the U.N. General Assembly to call out the sins of Myanmar (Burma) and a few other smaller nations, to insult them, and to threaten sanctions.
While these criticisms may have been justly deserved, could not our president have been more positive from the world’s platform for once?
When will we ever learn?
Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard, AKA The Militant Moderate
Friday, September 21, 2007
OBSESSIVE CELEBRITY PROSECUTION
OBSESSIVE CELEBRITY PROSECUTION
Perhaps it is the level of media coverage, but it appears that prosecutors across America have become excessively preoccupied with throwing the book at well known perpetrators for lesser offenses. This appears to be true in Oklahoma, as well as more media conscious venues.
The writer’s last piece expressed concern about the continuing prosecutorial and media pillorying of Senator Stipe. It noted that the man is obviously not the brilliant, quick-witted attorney and legislator that he was in his better years. Instead of putting Stipe’s business affairs under control of a conservator to prevent further violations, the prosecutor and the legal system, cheered on by the media, appear bent upon locking up an elderly, sick man.
The case of the coach in Muskogee is a strange one. A child on a bicycle runs into the side of the coach’s car in a school parking lot, not on a street. The coach calls the father, puts the child in the care of the school nurse, and goes on to a meeting. He doesn’t think about the need to call police. So, he has charges filed, is threatened with jail time, pays a fine, faces a lawsuit, and is publicly condemned in the media.
Now, old O.J. charges back on the scene to become a public target. Guilty or not, everybody’s out to get O.J. The pundits, former L.A. prosecutors, the prosecution in Las Vegas, and his erstwhile “friends” have all turned vehemently on O.J. Apparently this is more for the murders they think he got away with than it is for any actual crime committed at the Vegas hotel.
As best we can sort through them, the facts seem to be that O.J. and friends are taken to a hotel room by a shady dealer in memorabilia, who has a key and unlocks the door. He has told them that stolen goods belonging to O.J. are there. The shady dealer takes them into the hotel room where Simpson angrily demands his property, shouts, trash talks, and threatens the man there – all of which is recorded by said shady dealer and the tape is sold to gossip media. A gun is alleged by one “victim,” but is denied by the dealer and some who accompanied Simpson.
So, O.J. is charged with armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, and kidnapping with a deadly weapon, among a dozen serious charges. Some media pundits are sure he will do life in prison, while others think the case will not stand up in a fair court. “Victims,” as well as some participants, have unsavory records. This just doesn’t seem to add up to much of a crime to some of us.
We have gone through a prosecution of Paris Hilton, who received a much harsher sentence than usual “as a lesson for others,” pushed by a prosecutor who was then found with alleged dirt on his own hands. Lindsey Lohan is in the midst of a legal mess. And Brittany Spears is being pilloried by the media for various public and family offenses. All are unsympathetic characters in their legal dramas.
Of course, we pay far too much attention to reporting and coverage of such cases. Obviously the media play to our tastes, to the point of making us nauseous from ingestion of such tripe. Some celebrities make a public spectacle of irresponsible behavior, and then use legitimate remedial resources (such as rehab centers) to escape responsibility.
Too many of us excuse the unconventional behavior of celebrities, giving them license to be different than the rest of us. We then laud them with attention and adulation, and place them in a lofty position, in spite of their moral and character defects.
Nevertheless, when their irreverent behavior crosses with our laws, some take joy in their fall from high places. These then join with others to revile and to condemn. Something about this doesn’t seem right.
Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard, AKA The Militant Moderate
Perhaps it is the level of media coverage, but it appears that prosecutors across America have become excessively preoccupied with throwing the book at well known perpetrators for lesser offenses. This appears to be true in Oklahoma, as well as more media conscious venues.
The writer’s last piece expressed concern about the continuing prosecutorial and media pillorying of Senator Stipe. It noted that the man is obviously not the brilliant, quick-witted attorney and legislator that he was in his better years. Instead of putting Stipe’s business affairs under control of a conservator to prevent further violations, the prosecutor and the legal system, cheered on by the media, appear bent upon locking up an elderly, sick man.
The case of the coach in Muskogee is a strange one. A child on a bicycle runs into the side of the coach’s car in a school parking lot, not on a street. The coach calls the father, puts the child in the care of the school nurse, and goes on to a meeting. He doesn’t think about the need to call police. So, he has charges filed, is threatened with jail time, pays a fine, faces a lawsuit, and is publicly condemned in the media.
Now, old O.J. charges back on the scene to become a public target. Guilty or not, everybody’s out to get O.J. The pundits, former L.A. prosecutors, the prosecution in Las Vegas, and his erstwhile “friends” have all turned vehemently on O.J. Apparently this is more for the murders they think he got away with than it is for any actual crime committed at the Vegas hotel.
As best we can sort through them, the facts seem to be that O.J. and friends are taken to a hotel room by a shady dealer in memorabilia, who has a key and unlocks the door. He has told them that stolen goods belonging to O.J. are there. The shady dealer takes them into the hotel room where Simpson angrily demands his property, shouts, trash talks, and threatens the man there – all of which is recorded by said shady dealer and the tape is sold to gossip media. A gun is alleged by one “victim,” but is denied by the dealer and some who accompanied Simpson.
So, O.J. is charged with armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, and kidnapping with a deadly weapon, among a dozen serious charges. Some media pundits are sure he will do life in prison, while others think the case will not stand up in a fair court. “Victims,” as well as some participants, have unsavory records. This just doesn’t seem to add up to much of a crime to some of us.
We have gone through a prosecution of Paris Hilton, who received a much harsher sentence than usual “as a lesson for others,” pushed by a prosecutor who was then found with alleged dirt on his own hands. Lindsey Lohan is in the midst of a legal mess. And Brittany Spears is being pilloried by the media for various public and family offenses. All are unsympathetic characters in their legal dramas.
Of course, we pay far too much attention to reporting and coverage of such cases. Obviously the media play to our tastes, to the point of making us nauseous from ingestion of such tripe. Some celebrities make a public spectacle of irresponsible behavior, and then use legitimate remedial resources (such as rehab centers) to escape responsibility.
Too many of us excuse the unconventional behavior of celebrities, giving them license to be different than the rest of us. We then laud them with attention and adulation, and place them in a lofty position, in spite of their moral and character defects.
Nevertheless, when their irreverent behavior crosses with our laws, some take joy in their fall from high places. These then join with others to revile and to condemn. Something about this doesn’t seem right.
Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard, AKA The Militant Moderate
Thursday, September 13, 2007
COMPETENCY OF SENATOR STIPE
This writer has had a casual acquaintanceship with Senator Gene Stipe, both by reputation and occasional contact, for some forty years. For more than thirty of those forty years, there was every indication that Senator Stipe was a highly effective legislator and a brilliant attorney.
In spite of consistent political attacks by his partisan enemies and those in the media, no wrongdoing was ever successfully documented against the senator in his prime years. In pugilistic terms, “They never laid a glove on him.”
In the meantime, he accumulated a series of legislative accomplishments to be envied, gave outstanding service to those in his district in a paternalistic fashion, and gained national recognition as the successful attorney for the young constituent soldier from Calvin, Oklahoma, accused of a massacre in a military court in Viet Nam.
A relative, who is a small town mayor in his district, credits Senator Stipe with numerous assists in obtaining financial help with much needed infrastructure projects in his community. My elderly mother-in-law, a republican by history, was devoted to Senator Stipe, who visited her home and during season brought a small sack of apples said to be from his orchard.
I have observed Senator Stipe’s legislative work. From the gallery, I have observed him rise to the floor in spellbinding rhetoric on education legislation I was there to support. Senator Stipe supported any measure which helped higher education or public education. He supported any measure that I told him would help retired teachers. How could I not like Senator Stipe?
The good senator may be guilty of some campaign financial manipulations. He may be guilty of shenanigans to help a political friend against a political enemy. But it is a sure sign of loss of competency, or the senator would not have been caught doing either.
I began to see a loss of mental acuity and in physical stride some ten years ago. Grasp of legislative details was more difficult for the senator, and he dealt more in generalities. He often took our word on the fitness of a bill, rather than demanding a full explanation. It seemed harder for him to master intricacies. It was harder for him to remember names and faces. In greeting a large family dinner in a private room at Pete’s Place in Krebs, he had difficulty placing those of us he knew. At a similar dinner of retired college presidents, also at Pete’s Place only four or five years ago, he seemed impaired in his functioning – not at all the same Senator Stipe that we all knew.
The U.S. District Attorney, representing the politically tainted national system, has continued to target Stipe, long after his initial charge and conviction. This time it appears to be his failure to separate himself from long time business and political cronies, who also happen to have been convicted of something. Stipe’s attorney is claiming mental impairment, and asking for leniency based upon that defense.
Anyone acquainted with Senator Stipe could attest to his impairment. He has Parkinson’s and other serious health problems, is likely on several medications, and does not seem to be “with it.” That should be quite obvious to the prosecutor and to the court. What is now happening is the equivalent of kicking a person who is already beaten down. It is analogous to “piling on,” which draws an unsportsmanlike penalty.
The court should have already appointed a legal guardian for Gene Stipe. Such a guardian could be made the trustee of his assets and put in charge of their management. Stipe would not then be in a position to harm his own case by bad decisions involving money, politics, and old cronies.
Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard, AKA The Militant Moderate
In spite of consistent political attacks by his partisan enemies and those in the media, no wrongdoing was ever successfully documented against the senator in his prime years. In pugilistic terms, “They never laid a glove on him.”
In the meantime, he accumulated a series of legislative accomplishments to be envied, gave outstanding service to those in his district in a paternalistic fashion, and gained national recognition as the successful attorney for the young constituent soldier from Calvin, Oklahoma, accused of a massacre in a military court in Viet Nam.
A relative, who is a small town mayor in his district, credits Senator Stipe with numerous assists in obtaining financial help with much needed infrastructure projects in his community. My elderly mother-in-law, a republican by history, was devoted to Senator Stipe, who visited her home and during season brought a small sack of apples said to be from his orchard.
I have observed Senator Stipe’s legislative work. From the gallery, I have observed him rise to the floor in spellbinding rhetoric on education legislation I was there to support. Senator Stipe supported any measure which helped higher education or public education. He supported any measure that I told him would help retired teachers. How could I not like Senator Stipe?
The good senator may be guilty of some campaign financial manipulations. He may be guilty of shenanigans to help a political friend against a political enemy. But it is a sure sign of loss of competency, or the senator would not have been caught doing either.
I began to see a loss of mental acuity and in physical stride some ten years ago. Grasp of legislative details was more difficult for the senator, and he dealt more in generalities. He often took our word on the fitness of a bill, rather than demanding a full explanation. It seemed harder for him to master intricacies. It was harder for him to remember names and faces. In greeting a large family dinner in a private room at Pete’s Place in Krebs, he had difficulty placing those of us he knew. At a similar dinner of retired college presidents, also at Pete’s Place only four or five years ago, he seemed impaired in his functioning – not at all the same Senator Stipe that we all knew.
The U.S. District Attorney, representing the politically tainted national system, has continued to target Stipe, long after his initial charge and conviction. This time it appears to be his failure to separate himself from long time business and political cronies, who also happen to have been convicted of something. Stipe’s attorney is claiming mental impairment, and asking for leniency based upon that defense.
Anyone acquainted with Senator Stipe could attest to his impairment. He has Parkinson’s and other serious health problems, is likely on several medications, and does not seem to be “with it.” That should be quite obvious to the prosecutor and to the court. What is now happening is the equivalent of kicking a person who is already beaten down. It is analogous to “piling on,” which draws an unsportsmanlike penalty.
The court should have already appointed a legal guardian for Gene Stipe. Such a guardian could be made the trustee of his assets and put in charge of their management. Stipe would not then be in a position to harm his own case by bad decisions involving money, politics, and old cronies.
Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard, AKA The Militant Moderate
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
SOME THINGS DON'T MAKE SENSE
IRS Rules
It is noted that the young man who caught Barry Bonds’ record breaking home run ball is liable for taxes based upon the market value of the ball, even if he chooses not to sell it. Since the ball is estimated to be worth about $500,000, he could owe $200,000 in taxes. Where will he get that unless he sells the ball? Most of us would agree that he should owe the taxes if and when he sells, just as does the winner of a lottery, but this is a little crazy.
Then there is the situation of some people who are about to lose their homes through foreclosure, because they cannot pay their mortgage payments. In instances where their property has depreciated in value below the mortgage level, lenders have been wise enough to forgive that portion to keep the client in the home and paying a payment he can afford. What does the IRS do? It says that the client in trouble owes immediate taxes on the loan loss forgiven by the bank. That doesn’t make much sense.
Free Trade and the Economy
Our manufacturing jobs have been going overseas at a distressing rate. Our middle class union wage jobs with pensions and health benefits are disappearing. What are we getting in return? Apparently our gain is cheap merchandise at discount stores, much of which is either defective or hazardous. China is making our toys with lead paint, our toothpaste with antifreeze, and our pet (and human) food with toxic content.
Strangely enough, it is not only our cheap clothing and sneakers coming from Southeast Asia, but also our expensive designer labels are made there. So, apparently there is even a larger profit margin in high priced things that are made cheaply. Mexico says that they make most of our car parts, and that it doesn’t matter where the cars are assembled. Does assembling a car in this country with either an American or a foreign brand name on it somehow make it American?
Should America be running a huge trade imbalance, shipping our capital overseas to pay for consumer goods? Is there something wrong about two-thirds of our $750 billion in currency being held overseas? Do we want really want an “even playing field” foreign trade policy? Won’t that lead to an even standard of living with our third world trading partners? Why not erect tariffs to protect our economy?
Infra-structure
We are suddenly conscious of the need to repair or replace thousands of bridges. We realize that we have been shortchanging highway development, bridges, water management, flood control, city utilities, prisons, and other public services. Road user taxes have not been changed in decades, while the price of gasoline has increased in multiples. Social Security and Medicare face shortages in reserves.
Where have our priorities been? The eyes of our leaders and our lawmakers have been principally on tax cutting and fighting foreign wars.
The private sector has been no less shortsighted. Their focus has been on the bottom line, but not for their small stockholders or the small owners of mutual fund shares. Rather than paying dividends, they have looked to increasing the value of stock, as a tax deferral for big holders, and to enhancing the power of their major owners and managers through acquisitions. Lucrative hedge and private equity funds remain untaxed.
With major oil companies amassing obscene profits, why are we short of refineries and pipe lines to supply consumers? Could it be that unchallenged mergers have led to an oligopoly? With electric utilities prospering, why have we not made progress toward a “smart grid” guaranteeing uninterrupted service throughout the nation? Is there something to be learned from the fact that the world’s richest man is in Mexico, amassing his $59 billion from profits after being granted the monopoly on telephones, and later on cellular phones, by the government.
-------------------
Yes, indeed there are a lot of things in this land which do not make sense for the average citizen, and there are more which do not make sense as national policy. There are things which do not make sense in our regulatory environment. Perhaps it is the lack of effective regulation.
Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard, AKA The Militant Moderate
It is noted that the young man who caught Barry Bonds’ record breaking home run ball is liable for taxes based upon the market value of the ball, even if he chooses not to sell it. Since the ball is estimated to be worth about $500,000, he could owe $200,000 in taxes. Where will he get that unless he sells the ball? Most of us would agree that he should owe the taxes if and when he sells, just as does the winner of a lottery, but this is a little crazy.
Then there is the situation of some people who are about to lose their homes through foreclosure, because they cannot pay their mortgage payments. In instances where their property has depreciated in value below the mortgage level, lenders have been wise enough to forgive that portion to keep the client in the home and paying a payment he can afford. What does the IRS do? It says that the client in trouble owes immediate taxes on the loan loss forgiven by the bank. That doesn’t make much sense.
Free Trade and the Economy
Our manufacturing jobs have been going overseas at a distressing rate. Our middle class union wage jobs with pensions and health benefits are disappearing. What are we getting in return? Apparently our gain is cheap merchandise at discount stores, much of which is either defective or hazardous. China is making our toys with lead paint, our toothpaste with antifreeze, and our pet (and human) food with toxic content.
Strangely enough, it is not only our cheap clothing and sneakers coming from Southeast Asia, but also our expensive designer labels are made there. So, apparently there is even a larger profit margin in high priced things that are made cheaply. Mexico says that they make most of our car parts, and that it doesn’t matter where the cars are assembled. Does assembling a car in this country with either an American or a foreign brand name on it somehow make it American?
Should America be running a huge trade imbalance, shipping our capital overseas to pay for consumer goods? Is there something wrong about two-thirds of our $750 billion in currency being held overseas? Do we want really want an “even playing field” foreign trade policy? Won’t that lead to an even standard of living with our third world trading partners? Why not erect tariffs to protect our economy?
Infra-structure
We are suddenly conscious of the need to repair or replace thousands of bridges. We realize that we have been shortchanging highway development, bridges, water management, flood control, city utilities, prisons, and other public services. Road user taxes have not been changed in decades, while the price of gasoline has increased in multiples. Social Security and Medicare face shortages in reserves.
Where have our priorities been? The eyes of our leaders and our lawmakers have been principally on tax cutting and fighting foreign wars.
The private sector has been no less shortsighted. Their focus has been on the bottom line, but not for their small stockholders or the small owners of mutual fund shares. Rather than paying dividends, they have looked to increasing the value of stock, as a tax deferral for big holders, and to enhancing the power of their major owners and managers through acquisitions. Lucrative hedge and private equity funds remain untaxed.
With major oil companies amassing obscene profits, why are we short of refineries and pipe lines to supply consumers? Could it be that unchallenged mergers have led to an oligopoly? With electric utilities prospering, why have we not made progress toward a “smart grid” guaranteeing uninterrupted service throughout the nation? Is there something to be learned from the fact that the world’s richest man is in Mexico, amassing his $59 billion from profits after being granted the monopoly on telephones, and later on cellular phones, by the government.
-------------------
Yes, indeed there are a lot of things in this land which do not make sense for the average citizen, and there are more which do not make sense as national policy. There are things which do not make sense in our regulatory environment. Perhaps it is the lack of effective regulation.
Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard, AKA The Militant Moderate
