Category Archives: Television

Watching the Olympics and thinking about the Fall of Rome

Television, War

During some some history of the West class, probably sometime in highschool, we studied Rome. One thing I remember is how Rome’s constant wars bankrupt the state and left the populous too poor to buy bread. To keep the people from rioting, the government gave out free food and held games to keep them distracted.

I remember wondering Why do they have all those foreign wars? and how does it bankrupt the state? At the time, I understood that looting was making some people rich – like Caesar and his fellow Centurions. And it was also making them powerful. Later – much later, like last week – I began to realize that there were other people making money by making roads that went to Gaul or Hispania, armaments, and war support equipment.

Money that could have been spent to make Rome stronger, making Rome a better place to live, was actually spent to make Rome only look stronger. Money that could have been spent on schools or aqueducts, was being spent on the greatest army the world had ever seen and a wall in England.

So I sit here, watching the Olympics, thinking about all the money we spent on Iraq and Afghanistan. All the money we will spend on Iraq and Afghanistan this year and next year and into the foreseeable future. I have heard the arguments for being in Iraq and Afghanistan and they are alway presented in an vacuum. Nobody ever says Should we spend the money on drones for Afghanistan or schools for Los Angeles? Should we build more F22s or start rebuilding our infrastructure?

 

President Obama has signed legislation lifting the cap on
government borrowing to $14.3 trillion except for Medicaid, Social Security and food stamps; and I am beginning to wonder how this is different from the Roman Senate handing out bread and putting on games in the Coliseum?

Watching the Superbowl and thinking about the Forbes top twenty five Web Celebs

Television

As Michele and I watched the Superbowl, I kept thinking that I should care more about who wins. But, with the Jets out of it, I really don't care who wins. I know, I know, because Bush ignored New Orleans, I really should be rooting for the Saints. It is the only American thing to do.

But I am really thinking about the Forbes top Web Celebs. Forbes knows more about making and keeping money than I do. And now they are telling me that they they know more about the web than I ever will. Forbes just unveiled reveled published a list of the the twenty five biggest web celebrities, or, as they say,

For the Forbes Web Celeb 25, we track the biggest and brightest stars
on the Internet, the people who have turned their passions into new
media empires. From stay-at home-moms to geek entrepreneurs, these are
the people capturing eyes, influencing opinion and creating the new
digital world.

I've heard of the first guy on the list, gossip blogger Perez Hilton, but I don't think that I have been to the blog. I ran into this List of 25 when I read a columnist at the guardian.co.uk writing about the List and saying that Perez pioneered the  upskirt shot and then goes on to make him sound even less appetizing.

The second guy, Michael Arrington, I have never even heard of but his blog, TechCrunch, does look sort of interesting and Michele says that it sounds familiar. The third guy, "media wunderkind" Pete Cashmore ditto – ; the fourth spot is held by the Twitter guys so, at least, I have heard of them. 

Then it is a complete blank until # 17 which is the Drudge Report. On the way to #17, several of the people (blogs) look interesting, like dooce®. But, it isn't until #20, that I run into anybody that I actually know anything about and I think that is only because I have heard John Dvorak on NPR. Then, at #21, I finally hit paydirt. Ana Marie Cox, a political blogger who started The Wonkette. A snarky, leftist blog which she sold at a big profit – I think.

I believe them that these are the people capturing eyes, etc, etc but I
really feel Forbes must be wrong because the list is so far from my own
experience. I also realize that the web, life for that matter, is like
highschool in that we are all stuck in our own group. Our own little
feedback loop. And that these 25 people are not in my feedback loop.
But….still. How come I have only heard of a couple of these
luminaries.

I want to know where my people are. Andrew Sullivan: a slightly hysterical, Catholic, conservative, gay, Obama fan. Tom Ricks: the writer of Fiasco who pretty much defined the first half of the Iraq war. 3quarksdaily: who always have something interesting to say. Te-Nehisi Coates: a black blogger who I find  fascinating.  Or Alyssa Rosenberg where I found this great Superbowl related video:

Why the Daily Show is trusted

Television

Every once in a while I'll read about a poll placing Jon Stewart as one of the most trusted new sources on TV. Given that it is fake news, that is pretty amazing; but – I have to agree.

I can't think of anyone else who could have pulled this off.

 

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