Lazy Monday: blogbits and open thread
Seems my bloggin’ brethren are enjoying a long weekend (not alone I might add). So, here are a couple of blogbits to chew on this evening.Can’t We All Just: Kemp Powers over at LAist wonders if the black and brown will ever get down in this town. As one commenter notes, probably not anytime soon—or, at least, not so long as this goes on in Mexico and our borders remain wide open.
Who Cares? Speaking of open borders, Karl Rove’s political career died today, and Wonkette delivered the perfect eulogy:
Karl Rove isn’t a genius, unless Lee Atwater and Chuck Colson were geniuses. He’s really goddamn good at winning elections for George W. Bush, and then once that’s done, he just hangs around fucking things up until the next election needs to be won. Hell, he could probably net Bush a third term if he started working at it now.
Material World: Photojournalism may be done for at Reuters, but it’s alive and well at TMZ, and now you can find out how the gossip site obtained the Valley shoe shopping footage.
Speaking of Mirthi, Eric Longabardi says she’s spending a significant chunk of her vacation at the Getty House—to the point of cohabitation. Were Mayor Villaraigosa really a follower of his own faith, he would move in to her Studio City condo (it would be a brilliant political move to boot).
Serious Business: The owner of the Chinese toy factory involved in the massive Mattel recall has hung himself. Meanwhile, more than 1,300 people have been freed from forced labor in Chinese kilns, mines, and workshops since June.
You shake your head, but could this be our future? Fifty years from now, might Shanghai become a playground for the rich and famous, while L.A. becomes chief exporter of cheap tchotchkies assembled by mentally disabled child slaves?
Labels: blogbits, bloggers, karl rove, mayor antonio villaraigosa, Mirthala Salinas
Posted by solomon @ 8/13/2007 05:54:00 PM
38 Comments:
Toys made by mentally disabled child slaves? If you don't discriminate against the full-grown, finally, zuma can get a job he can do -- in 50 years. Actually, since the Chinese official in charge of the food poison disaster was executed (went from conviction to appeal to execution in about a month, justice sure moves swiftly there since it's a farce), it is actually a wise decision for the toy disaster guy to kill himself before they humiliated and executed him.
Now, I'm sure there are some who say a similar system of "swift justice" would do a lot to clean up graft around here, but if that were true, why are the most corrupt still leading China? Because they can kill off anyone who embarrasses the country or is incompetent. Zuma is lucky he doesn't live in China.
Thanks for the open thread. Yeah I figure someday we will have to manufacture goods again in the US. I doubt our children will do it. They are spoiled. It will probably be us future seniors who can't live off of Social Security. The budget deficit will have to be paid someday. China will own us here in the US.
How about this item too? L.A. mayor calls for investigation....Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa issued a statement Sunday saying he had contacted Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff to request a "thorough investigation and incident report, which should include changes to procedures and protocols to ensure faster and more convenient processing of passengers" in case of another such incident. He called Saturday's disruption "both troubling and unacceptable." No longer do we live in the land of the free thanks to the Homeland Security.
It may have helped if he wasn't so busy shoe shopping and showing Mirthala "around" the Getty House. He's the CEO of the Airport for God's sake.
newest Chinese product alert: some Chinese-made toothpase includes same chemicals as antifreeze. The fancy brand used for 5-star hotel toiletries. So seems like the toniest labels can conceal the shoddiest lack of quality controls. Stick to the ordinary US-made brands, like Crest, Colgate, I hope?
Gil Cedillo, D LA (where else) has proposed SB 160, giving Cal funds, i.e., financial aid, to ANY student, legal OR illegal, in California who has attended h. s. for at least 3 yrs.
Just what we need, another magnet for illegal immigration, and taking money out of the pockets of the kids of the people who have bothered with little niceties like citizenship, and who've paid legal taxes for years. WRITE/CALL HIM NO
We've become completely addicted to cheap, Chinese-made junk and they are thanking us by killing our children and pets with lead, antifreeze, and melamine!
The Daily News' Chris Weinkopf, who's usually very tough on MAV because of his conservative Catholic perspective opines that MAV will just be slowed down, but not mortally wounded, by this scandal. Main fallout will be, he's unlikely to still be keynote speaker at the DNC, as originally speculated in thanks for his then- valuable endorsement. With Billary living down their own sex scandals, they'll probably have to avoid this topic. But Weinkopf agrees with other pundits who think he can get the Governor nod, because his rivals are either worse adulterers like Gavin N., or just plain washed up (Brown), or too dull and unable to raise his kind of funds.
By then, he and Mirthala will be an open item and probably married, if sne's really spending time at Getty house like ERSNews reports.
We're also the only country that allows import of wood products treated with a toxic chemical from China -- banned not only in Europe and the developing world, but in China itself! Ah, free trade...
But with all the political prisoners and Tibetan monks in Chinese jails, they have to provide them with work, don't they? And who cares if they're exposed to the stuff during manufacturing.
California Governor races end up with candidate choices almost as bad as our Presidential races.
MAV should actually be glad that the other candidate with the most charisma is Gavin Newsome, the one guy who has MORE of an incentive never to bring up one's personal life than he does. In fact, given the other candidates mentioned, former dull state Controllers and previously failed candidates and such, these two just might actually turn the scandals into happy endings for those too photogenic and charismatic to put down.
Geez, Governor Villarsalias? Maybe you guys can post some more bad news so I can lose more of my appetite. Maybe I can drop a few pounds. Maybe we can get Feinstein to run. I'd rather see her governor. She's at least closer to being Republican.
Actually, I don't think the liberals up north would go for Antonio. They hate LA in San Fran & Sacramento. LA mayors always lose in their bid for governor. Ask former Mayors Yorty,Bradley, & Riordan.
Oops, I meant to type Governor Villarsalinas. I guess I've been reading too much of the "20 Laws of Marketing" .
Law #15 - Make a bunch of typos so you piss everyone off and they type rude responses to your thread. .... so you don't have to keep responding to your own thread.
6:50 I agree with you.
Did MAV piss someone off over there on his last trip?
If it is that easy for China to have such an impact on us in the states,imagine how easy sabatoge can be for others a little closer to home?
We want cheaper things. WE want to make a liveable wage. China is the only country that is educated, mechanized and able to produce cheap products. If Iran, Afganistan,India or Mexico could accomplish the education. mechanization, etc. that China has we would have competitive bidding and we all would benefit.
China is not highly educated: only 2% of the population has a chance to attend college, and those who do, are routed into tracks and careers where the state decrees they are needed.
(This is not altogether a bad thing: despite our country's obsession to get any kid with a pulse into college as a matter of "right," many would be better off in trade schools -- chefs, plumbers and even "celebrity cutters" can make more than a dumb college grad.)
Much of the cheap stuff in China is made by prisoners, of which there are a huge number. 6:57 is right about the work force. Those are the lucky convicts: many are shot, so that their organs can be sold in a planned way.
Both regular and plainclothes cops harass and arrest citizens, tourists and journalists at will. Internet bloggers who say things 1/100th as vicious about leaders as zuma, are rounded up and jailed. (Now, that would not be bad.) Just let him try his games in THEIR halls of government. HO-HO.
Across China, non-Han minorities are under constant surveillance and persecuted if they don't tell any and all only nice things about "mother China," the ruling Hans.
Spying on family, coworkers and neighbors is still encouraged.
Everywhere you go, you see mobs of impoverished people in the streets, former farmers and workers from companies which are beginning to downsize and consider efficiency.
But they can't unionize, of course.
So DON'T glamourize this country or make them seem like they're "winning" because of playing the game better.
They are winning because the wimpy businesspeople and politicians in this country are giving away the store to them, on the vain hopes that someday, all those billions of people will become consumers of our products. But the technology sharing means that they are learning all our secrets and technology, handed to them on a silver platter, so they can say "no thanks," and do everything themselves.
All of this has created boom cities and wealth overnight. The Chinese not only see themselves as culturally superior, but see us as stupid for being so obsequious, naive, greedy and stupid.
We used to do this with Japan, but because Japan IS a more educated society, they caught up with our western problems fast, too. Yes, China is a danger -- because it isn't being made to play by "our" rules of free trade. It's one way.
Good post, 9:17, I read it twice.
So you think Mexico has more racism against blacks than white America. Let us think about which country;
1) Used blacks as slaves, and freely sold them.
2) Had public lynching of blacks.
3) Denied blacks the right to vote.
4) Had states fighting against the federal government decision to give equal rights to blacks.
5) Have had several major race riots in large cities, through out the years.
When you figure this out then make a comment about racism in Mexico.
Have the Hate America First folks invaded this blog?
Ba denough we have had to endure Zuma Dog, now we have assholes telling us our country sucks.
Higby, where are you when we need you?
11:36 PM
Everything you listed is in the past tense.
Mexicans are very politically incorrect and divided by skin color.
This is just the facts- every culture is different, but most countries aren't as diverse as us, so prejudices grow and thrive throughout the world.
Indians are wary of blacks. The Chinese treat dark-skinned, ethnic groups much worse. Welcome to planet Earth!
12:22 Who said our country sucks?
Looks to me like China is bearing the brunt of this conversation
11:36
Get real. America is the only country to socially evolve. All other Western and/or developed nations are devolving into tribal, oligarchial cesspools.
Mexico imports its poor. It has a national stamp that is racist and blackface. We have evolved since the 1950s to the point where we have a female and African-American contender for president.
Hell Colin Powell could have won in 04. Condoleezza Rice could be anybody's VP.
Mexicans who show up here are still living in the social gray flannel era, we dont need know stinking badges era.
I have a lot of Mexican friends, lots of black friends, and white family from Europe and Scandanavia. The most racist of the bunch are the Mexicans.
They talk sh*t about gringos, n*ggers and even w*tbacks. And they think it's ok.
Mexico is racist. Don't fool yourself. America is decades ahead of TJ. Talk to me when the majority of your hombres use toilet paper.
So DON'T glamourize this country or make them seem like they're "winning" because of playing the game better.
They are winning because the wimpy businesspeople and politicians in this country are giving away the store to them.
YEA JACK, THEY'VE SOLD YOU ALL DOWN THE RIVER, AND YOU VOTED FOR THEM TOO. KICK YOURSELF ON THE OLD ASS. AND GIVE YOURSELF ONE FOR ME.
As long as dumb parents spend millions of dollars on toys made in China and those Nike tennis shoes that are also made with child labor those companies will profit.
No way in hell Antonio would ever be gov. He hasn't done shit in his administration and the scandal is not dying down. Now he has his mistress living at the Getty House that is paid by our tax dollars. They have no shame. Every week there's a story of Antonio's incompetence. Newsome and Brown have a much better chance at the gov. All those sucker Latinos who voted for the midget mayor are banging their heads now. No way a Latino would be voted in with all the corruption going on all over the place like South Gate, Santa Ana, Vernon, Maywood
The latest shameful behavior of this Mechista, scumbag mayor is appalling! Bringing his slutty Mexican whore to Getty House is the biggest affront to ALL of us American citizens!!!!
If he were an AMERICAN, it would be shocking; but this is an ANTI-AMERICAN MEXICAN ANCHOR BABY and his slutty whore is an agent of Mexico!!!!
These two Mexicans DO NOT BELONG in Hancock Park living amonst the WHITE elite of this city!!! They are contaminating the community!!!
This sleazy Mexican has disgraced this city and he needs to go back to the barrio where he belongs! He is a pig with earrings and his whore has no shame.
THIS IS AN OUTRAGE! WE NEED TO RUN THESE TWO OUT OF TOWN!!! PRONTO!!!!
SHAME ON YOU MIDGET !
SHAME ON YOU!
SHAME ON YOU MIDGET !
SHAME ON YOU!
SHAME ON YOU MIDGET !
SHAME ON YOU!
the av mayor will also be knowen as always getting sloppy 3rd's,
maan midget YOU ARE A JOKE AND AN EMBARESSMENT!!
HEY MIDGET I SCREWED YOUR WHORE YESTERDAY WHILE YOU WERE AT WORK YESTERDAY!!
Tony Villar is ANTI-AMERICAN!!!!
TELEMUNDO is ANTI-AMERICAN!!!!
Why are we allowing treasonous Mexican vigilantes to run this city????
LA is BANKRUPT thanks to the illegals and their leaders!!!!
Deport all of them and save our city!!!
How about a protest at the Getty House???? Why should the scumbag mayor be allowed to shack up with his whore at our expense??? The Getty House is being desecrated!!!
Who the hell does the midget think he is???? The mayor???? He's a phony piece of shit!!!!
We need a group of citizens to bring signs demanding that the whore cannot stay at the official mayor's residence! We need a 24 hour picket line in front of Getty! Every day of the week!
BTW, the scumbag does not even fly the American flag in front of Getty! All the official photographs have TWO American flags flying in front!!!
THIS IS TREASON!!!
Well, everyone wants to know, so I am announcing it today, and I have chosen this blog to make it public.
When I leave POTUS on September 1, I will be joining a well known and respected political consulant who is generally regarded as the finest political strategist in all of Los Angeles.
Together we will be offering our advice to each and every elected official of the City of LA, the County of LA, and the LA Unified School District, plus we will offer it to all other appointed or paid high level managers who clearly need our advice to do their job appropriately.
This service, which is clearly invaluable, will be offered free to each and every of the above, whether or not they wish to receive it.
So, look for this great service to begin September 1, 2007.
Don't thank me, please. I am doing this because the need is there and I am the only person to fulfill that need.
Our new firm will be known as "Rove 'n Dogg".
Oh, did I mention that everything I know, I learned from Mr. Dogg; he is even referred to in The President's nickname for me "Turd Blossom". (I am, of course, the blossom that grows out of the cow patty.)
The Mayor better marry her quick before the rent on Getty House goes up; or will they move to the Studio City digs?
Mirthala's about to get evicted from Getty House
ISN'T AV OLD ENOUGH TO BE HER FATHER!
Actually MAV fathered his first child in his late teens. He is 17 years older than Mirthala. So what?
Until the morning, with the shouting at the mayor 'n all, this thread was actually intelligent. Whoever is calling him and Mirthala those names only makes himself look bad.
11:03 He's a Mayor V supporter trying to discredit valid criticism with racial ranting. Mayor Sam should delete that crap.
11:14 = Zuma-logic, zuma groupie.
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Anony-Mouse dreamer said....
Get real. America is the only country to socially evolve.
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Anony-Mouse racist said....
These two Mexicans DO NOT BELONG in Hancock Park living amonst the WHITE elite of this city!!! They are contaminating the community!!!
************************
Is this the America which has evolved, why does the comment have to make mention of the Mayor ethnicity, do you say the Anglo-Saxon governor when referring to our governor. I guess you do not travel much if you think all other Western and/or developed nations are devolving into tribal, oligarchial cesspools. You should travel to Japan, France, Luxemburg, England, Belgium and etc. I also seriously doubt you have any “real” friends of any other race with your prejudicial views. Let me see based on my Irishman friend, who drinks, does that mean all Irishman are drunks?
Racism is alive and well in the U.S., the only difference is that people don't have the courage to speak what they actually feel in person, but will show their racism in an anonymous blog comment.
I will let you rednecks guess of which ethnicity I am, and I also enjoy good ale.
This why all our manufacturing and other jobs should never have been sent to other countries where we have no control of what is done and no laws to enforce safety standards. Maybe some of these companies will have to reconsider all the jobs they've taken away from Americans that were proud to do a good job and turn out quality products. American products used to be the standard for the whole world. Now we don't make anything and we are dependent for food from other countries. It's especially risky that we don't have control over our own food supply anymore. All this overdevelopment and paving over of our rich farmland with housing tracts better be reconsidered unless we want to be at the mercy of other countries even for our food. We better return to being more self-sufficient. Terrorists don't need to lift a finger when we can be wiped out just by the greed of unregulated foreign companies.
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