Newsbusters recently released a study on the recent poll concerning President Bush's approval ratings. -> I love this article. For those of you who are foolish enough to assert that there is no media bias, feel free to examine the facts... but it might be a hard pill to swallow. I'm going to parrot a lot of the information from the article in the interest of summary, but I urge you to take a look at the link.

According to the recent CBS poll Bush's approval rating is at 34%. So, you might wonder, what is the breakdown with the participants with respect to political affiliation?

27% Republican, 40% Democrat and the rest Independant. You mean that CBS overpolls Democrats and then NYT publishes the poll and pretends as if its objective? You'd be a fool to believe that these things are done objectively, and unfortunately for CBS, their hand got caught in the cookie jar again.

Its gets worse. Last night's CBS News broadcast failed to mention the most interesting factoid from the poll - 66% thought that the MSM devoted "too much time" to the Cheney story. Gee, I wonder why CBS would plaster their uninterested audience with a story like that. Not only is this evidence that CBS can't relate to their target audience irrespective of political affiliation (that is, unless you are one of the 6% who think Soros, Michael Moore, Franken, Kennedy, Kerry, Pelosi, Durbin, etc. make a lot of sense) but they willingly omit facts from their own polls when it points out that they made an error of judgment. Then, they sell this bunk approval poll like its a bag of diamonds.

Now you know why MSM approval polls are hilarious and could never be taken seriously.

Second story - New York Times is continuously the front car in the trainwreck that is the print media. The reasons are numerous and expansive, but I'll provide you an example from today's edition. I'd link it but you have to be registered with NYT in order to read it - so either sign up yourself if you haven't already (its free, just dump your register information into a junk email addy like I do) or buy today's edition.

The headline says, "Americans Are Cautiously Open to Gas Tax Rise, Poll Shows." This defies logic, so you have to wonder why it would be that the author of this article would come to this conclusion.

So, whats the first sentence? "Americans are overwhelmingly opposed to a higher federal gasoline tax, BUT! BUT!(my capitalization and exclamations for emphasis) a significant number would go along with an increase if it reduced global warming or made the United States less dependent on foreign oil, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll." What, another skewed poll with the NYT willingly entering a misleading headline? Yep.

Damn, CBS and NYT tag teaming again on another abomination? Yessir. The wacko idea behind this is that the higher tax would lower consumption of gas, thus somehow affecting global warming (which nobody has actually proven in an irrefutable way is even related to our activities here on Planet Earth) and allowing us to be less dependant on foreign oil. Just give us MORE MONEY and we can solve the problem - #1 failure among liberals when they are attempting to solve problems.

So, 85% of the people polled opposed a tax hike on gas when crude is already hovering around $60 per barrel. Some loony economist at Berkeley is suggesting that the tax needs to be an extra DOLLAR per gallon spread over 5 years to make this idea work. This is a tax that would burden the poor, so what is their answer? A) lowering taxes for the lower and middle classes to offset the cost, or B) counting on a 10% increase in gas prices as a result of the tax to offset consumption enough to be worth it. Well, to hell with it - lets raise gas taxes and hope that consumption goes down enough to offet the additional taxes, although there is NO evidence to suggest that this would actually work.

Actually, the evidence suggests otherwise. After Katrina gas spiked to $3-$3.50 per gallon, which depending on where you live would have represented a 30-60% increase in gas cost. Consumption didn't go down a significant amount... so a 10% increase in the long run is supposed to lower consumption by 6 or 8%? Bogus, absolutely bogus. Only an environmental wacko with no regard for feasability or common sense could have dreamed this one up.

I'm sure these people are patting themselves on the back and thinking that they are brilliant for coming up with this one, but its a crazy idea that would be nearly impossible to actually implement. Nobody actually mentioned how the extra tax dollars would directly correlate to effectively combating global warming except to say that they would earmark the money into MORE programs designed to work on alternative technology. Which of course, nobody will actually use unless they don't have to buy a new vehicle or don't have to outlay a huge amount of money to get this new technology.

The lesson that these delusional activists need to learn is that environmental change is going to be market driven if its ever going to be implemented in any meaningful way. Unless its cheaper than oil, doesn't require a major energy infrastructure investment and won't force people to outlay a fortune to convert, it ain't gonna happen - not ever.

The entire article is meaningless because on its face this could not and would not ever happen. What pisses me off, and thus is my inspiration to talk about it, is the ingenuous nature of the headline. What it really needs to say is, "Americans Cautiously Open To Gas Tax Rise, As Long As Our Illogical And Far-Fetched Idea Actually Could Be Implemented, But Still - 85% Of Americans Aren't Interested."

Joshua John Larson --
[adjective]:

Fuzzy to the touch

My connection into Atlanta was late so I'm stranded at the Holiday Inn until tomorrow... at Deltas expense. I hate Delta more than I hate UPS now. At least the hotel has a bar.

Ok Paul, I apologize. You know that I think that you and the M and the T in PMT are good dudes, so when I read what you wrote I was completely shocked - that is no easy feat! That of course spurred my own outburst, and I'm not too proud to say that I'm ashamed that I said what I did. I'm glad that you explained the backstory because that definitely sheds some light on why you said what you did - I appreciate it. I'm a lover, not a fighter... people do things because they are committed to it for their own reasons, but to want to kill somebody just because they want to know what it feels like - that is fairly scary.

Allow me to be facetious for just one second. If people want to find out what its like to kill another human being, they should try it on a household pet first. If your shame and guilt reflex don't kick in after killing a cat or a dog then its probably safe to say that you don't have a soul and you'll have no problem killing another human being.

I always like seeing new people sign up - hopefully the site will serve whatever purpose you'd like it to serve.

I signed Dragonfires petition, but then I slid down the list and Mike Niman is on the list! Now you KNOW for damn sure that when his name and mine are on the same petition that something is incredibly, incredibly wrong.

Todays flight was 3.5 hours from Newark to Kansas City... which is ok unless you were on a small jet... like I was! Continental has an Express service that uses the Embraer 145... its a jet 3 seats across and sits about 50 people. At least I took my brothers new Nano 2GB for a test run (FUCK UPS but you all know that story already) and it passed with flying colors! My flight had a pair of blonde twins, which if you know me and my brother always makes me smile. Unfortunately for these twins though, the parents are training these kids to be mamas boys... they are destined to be sucking their thumbs when they are 20 and I felt horrible about it. Memo to future fathers - don't ignore your young sons or your wife is going to be having your young male progeny watching the Home and Garden Channel!

Anyway, have fun.

I was so pissed earlier today that I was ready to convert my body to nuclear energy and explode. I've gone to the mall on multiple occasions this past week to buy a hardshell plastic case for my new iPod video 30GB jobby. They NEVER have this crap in stock. They scratch easily so I've been megaparanoid about handling it... in fact I've only taken it out of the packaging once. I've ordered the case that I wanted directly from the manufacturer also, and its on the way... but it was supposed to be delivered Tuesday and they decided to delay it a week because somehow UPS left the package in a warehouse in LA for a full six days!!! I contacted UPS but they haven't returned my e-mails. I wasn't even that nasty to them.... honest. All I really want to do is bring my iPod with me on my trip this week and I can't because I will not travel with it without the case. At least I know that I have 6.5GB loaded on it so I have a good head start on tunes whenever it is that I get my case... which according to UPS recent estimates is going to be the 20th.... while I'm gone. FUCK YOU UPS. I'm going FedEx, DHL, USPS, whatever isn't UPS from now on.

I met my buddy and a couple recent acquaintances for lunch at Sahara Grill today. I had a falafel and a pot of turkish coffee. I like their food but I'm starting to think that it isn't really sparkling wow awesome great. Besides us four, there were two other people in the restaurant and we had to wait 45 minutes for our food - that is unacceptable. Next power lunch - India Gate!

I've been tuning my resume up in the hopes of finding something else. According to my Chinese horoscope, the months of March through July are especially productive for my type (Horse) to find another job! Amazing. Actually, reading the description of the Horse sent chills down my spine... I am that person. That is, if you believe in such things... but its interesting nevertheless.