Shotgun Friday...Monday Edition

Major Mike

CNN Reads Major Mike

CNN is stealing my material, and passing it off as their own...outrageous, scandalous, untimely. CNN, after months of Major Mike coverage, is finally covering the Dixie Chicks' non-storming of the music charts with their latest single "Not Ready To Make Nice" which apparently has officially peaked at #36. Their follow-on "Everybody Knows" slipped two spots this week to #50. Doesn't look to good for the DCs.

Doesn't sound like their marketing strategy has impressed the business much either.

"After hearing the album, WKIS Miami program director Bob Barnett says he was "excited about the opportunity to introduce some great Chicks music to the listeners." But the group's decision to come with "Not Ready" as the lead single left him "stunned, especially in light of the fact that, when asked, programmers and consultants that listened to the project were virtually unanimous in saying we should put the politics behind us and concentrate on all this other great music we were hearing.""

And...

"Barnett played the song for a week, but pulled it after listeners called to say it sounded like the Chicks were "gloating" or "rubbing our noses in it," he reports. "We didn't need to pick at the scab any longer.""

Marketing miscue...ouch, that can't help.

More bad reminders of the good ole days...

"The two singles have had a striking lack of impact at radio, considering the band's history. Between 1997 and 2003, it notched 14 top 10 country singles, including six No. 1 hits. In addition to eight Grammy Awards, the group has won 10 Country Music Assn. Awards and eight Academy of Country Music Awards. The trio has sold 23.4 million albums in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan."

"Striking lack of impact." That is going to leave a mark.

And more disconnecting with fans...

"At KNCI Sacramento, California, the Chicks' music weathered the 2003 controversy only to be pulled as a result of Maines' new Entertainment Weekly comments, coupled with poor scores in local music tests.
"When an artist says that they don't want to be a part of that industry, it made our decision a no-brainer," program director Mark Evans says. "There are too many talented new artists dying to have a song played on country radio, so I'd rather give one of them a shot.""

For all you Dem pollsters out there, don't get too wrapped around your latest, slanted "poll of the week." This is what middle America thinks about trashing our country.

Murtha Logs Overtime as Judge and Jury

Rep. John Murtha D. PA, was unable to attend several Congressional functions as he was serving as judge and jury on fifteen Marines accused of killing civilians in Iraq. Murtha didn't waste time on formalities, and got right to business. He was able to get a conviction within minutes simply by reading press accounts. Man is he good. Luckily, he only missed one Congressional vote while handling these duties, unfortunately, it was about re-affriming Constitutional guarantees about being innocent until proven guilty.

Murtha has again shown that he is a clown with a war record. His blathering on issues of which he is not fully informed, or in which he is not part of the process, is evidence enough that he is not fit to be a member of Congress. These Marines, and the Iraqi citizens involved, deserve a fair hearing about what occured that day...Murtha's slash and burn in the press will not suffice. It is outrageous in every regard.

"Possible Terrorist" Missing CNN From Dictionaries

CNN is reviewing all of its office dictionaries to see if the word "terrorist," has been removed. An internal review began in April, when several stories were discovered not to have contained the word "terrorist", where it would have likely appeared. Internal sources confirm that many of the dictionaries seem to be missing the word, and they are also investigating the possiblity that the words "Islamofascist" and "Islamist Extremist" may also be missing.

The fast breaking story began back in April when Michigan resident Abdullah Karadsesh decided to drive his his car at high speeds aboard the Selfridge Air National Guard Base near Detroit. The peace-loving Mr. Karadsesh is obviously a big NASCAR fan, who simply got turned around on I-94.

My question is...why does it take the death of a second intruder to the base...a "man with a history of mental illness" before Mr. Karadsesh's story makes it to national prominence? Read the link...Mr. Karadsesh is only barely mentioned in the story, and not with the descriptive adjectives that the now deceased Mr. Whisman enjoys.

Mr. Abdullah's trek around the Guard Base, has to be viewed as a possible terrorist attack...even if he was acting alone. The MSM doesn't get the fact that terrorist activity does not have to be connected to Al-Qaeda to be, in fact, a terrorist act. And, just because Mr. Karadsesh has an Islamic name, doesn't mean you have to avoid the judgemental adjectives you heap upon all of those other lucky souls who get mentioned in your paper.

In plain journalist speak..."Selfridege ANG Base Attacked by Possible Terrorist." It is that simple.