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The war in Gaza is over. At least, it would seem that way to anyone tuning in to the BBC World News or NBC Nightly News tonight, hoping for some uptodate coverage.

Headlines were all George W Bush, and him daring to admit the “Mission Impossible” banner on the USS Abraham Lincoln was perhaps a mistake. Oh, and he wouldn’t be sitting on a beach somewhere in a wide-brimmed hat and Hawaiian shirt when he leaves the White House, because it’d be no fun now he’s given up the booze.

Still, everyday in office was a joy, which is more than can be said for the dead, the dying, and the bereaved he leaves behind him.

Despite the US and UK media being apparently oblivious to the ongoing slaughter in Gaza, other news sources are less obsessed with this aging war criminal and mentally disturbed bigot reaching the end of his tyrannical reign of power and making feeble excuses to justify his heinous acts.

From the excellent website, “Gorilla’s Guides” comes evidence of white phosphorus used by Israelis on civilians, just as the Americans did during the battle for Fallujah, in Iraq. Use of the substance in this way is barred by the Geneva Conventions, but who gives a tinker’s cuss about those anymore?

I make no apology for the photograph below. It’s sickening, vile, obscene – in fact, it’s every word you can think of that describes the foul depths to which man can sink in his treatment of his fellows. It’s may even be slightly worse than calling a fellow British soldier a “Paki”, though some UK gutter newspapers may not agree.

According to aid workers, this baby was killed in an explosion, then run over by an Israeli tank. It’s what “collateral damage” looks like:

More information is available on the Gorilla’s Guides website (link below)^[1], but the caption for this image reads:

A baby retrieved from Attattra, northwestern Gaza, where paramedics estimate 100s of calls to retrieve the injured and the dead have gone ignored due to Israeli troops occupation of the area. Despite Geneva Conventions, medical personnel are not able to reach the wounded, many of whom are critically wounded and will die due to the prevention of medical access. This baby, killed in an explosion, was then run over by an Israeli tank, according to aid workers who eventually retrieved the body.”

Unfortunately, these types of images have little effect on the George Bush’s and Ehud Olmert’s of this planet. They have larger visions, of national pride and conquering the world. You can’t do that without “collateral damage”. It’s why the United States of America deliberately refused to count the civilian casualties they inflicted in Iraq. Better to just bundle them all under the heading, “Collateral damage”.

I wonder if that’s what the parents of this tiny baby will have inscribed on its tombstone:

“Here Lies Collateral Damage – age 18 months”.

^{[1] “Baby retrieved from Attattra, north-western Gaza” Gorilla’s Guides, January 12th 2009}

Filed under: Collateral damage

Tonight, the NBC Nightly devoted three minutes to the Gaza crisis, and three and a half minutes to the shocking news that, three years ago, Prince Harry addressed his Asian army pal by the indelicate title of “Little Paki”.

What followed was a discussion on whether anyone capable of such gross behavior could ever be a suitable candidate for the throne of Great Britain.

My response is simple: mind your own business, America. In future, stick to criticizing your spoiled and immature Hollywood stars for their inane, and often insulting, behavior, and let the Brits concern themselves with their own Royalty issues.

Hypocrisy has become invisible to the American media. Use of the word, “Nigger”, even “Negro”, is considered vilely insulting, yet racism is alive and well and living in Oakland, California,^[1] Bellaire, Texas,^[2] and all points north, south, east, and west.

The term “Paki” is used frequently in Britain as a term of endearment between close friends, when one of them is of Pakistani origin. It’s no different from calling an Englishman a “Brit”, or an American, a “Yank”.

What the media has done for us over the years, is to highlight certain words and then demean them to a term of insult. Before long, those with an agenda jump on the bandwagon, and fuel the flames. One elderly man of Pakistani origin was interviewed on NBC tonight and readily acknowledged that “Paki” was a terrible term of abuse, and an insult to all Pakistanis. No-one asked him to define, why?

“What’s in a name?” asked Shakespeare’s Juliet of Romeo, on learning of his family name, hated and despised by her own. In so doing she laid bare the hypocrisy surrounding the use of labels to spread hatred and fear. Labels that, of themselves, are nothing more than innocent words.

The word is not important. It’s the human sentiment behind the word that expresses everything. “Nigger” or “Paki” can be a term of great love and endearment between friends who know and respect each other. When Prince William used the latter term of his soldier-pal, it was obviously in this context.

Of course, such words can equally be used to express hate and disdain. In which case, it’s not the fault of the word, but of the human expression behind it.

In many parts of the world today, and nowhere more so than the United States, such words are demonized to the extent their lack of use is taken as a measure of success in overcoming racism and prejudice.

Sweep the words under the carpet, and the accompanying filth will go with it.

Unfortunately, one only has to read the headlines each day to realize the falsehood of such an assumption.

NBC News might serve its viewers better if it dwelt less on the endearment of a foreign prince for his friend, and instead presented the facts of racial abuse in a forthright manner; for example, one that focused more on ensuring public opinion demanded US police officers pay dearly whenever they use their uniform to vent racial prejudice, as in the cases cited below.

^{[1] “Oakland shooting fuels anger over police brutality” AP, January 10th 2009}

^{[2] “Bellaire police shooting unearths unease” Houston Chronicle, January 11th 2009}

Filed under: Naughty names

News today that John McCain’s greatest ally in the fight to conquer Obama Democracy, Joe the Plumber, has vacated his position as an unskilled bathroom drain unblocker, to become an ace reporter for Pyjama TV. Joe is headed to the Middle East on assignment, where he intends to interview Israeli soldiers and uncover the shocking truth behind the Gaza war. And all in the guise of media entertainment.

When Jon Stewart and his Daily Show took a prolonged holiday over the Christmas/New year period, the Adams family searched for alternative entertainment. This involved perusing other late night talk show hosts in the hope of finding someone, if not as funny as Jon Stewart, then at least remotely entertaining.

When you consider that the Adams household Tivos BBC News, NBC Nightly News, The Daily Show, and the Colbert Report (the latter mainly for Mrs Adams) and this is our sole viewing of the day, the loss of Stewart and Colbert for nearly three weeks over the holidays constituted a major drop in the entertainment quota provided by our cable provider. At a figure in excess of one hundred dollars per month for cable access, it was imperative to remedy the situation by seeking alternatives.

Research, in the form of recorded programs from Conan O’Brien, David Letterman, and Jay Leno, produced decisive results. Letterman was decidedly unfunny, so relied entirely on the quality of guest to determine whether the show might be watchable, or not. O’Brian clapped his hands far too loudly every few seconds, darted backwards and forwards in front of the camera in a manner guaranteed to induce motion sickness, or epilepsy in those prone, and only managed to raise a taped titter with the pre-recorded studio audience, leaving the live viewers chez Adams shaking their heads in bewilderment.

Jay Leno, on the other hand, is every inch a professional entertainer. Undoubtedly, one of the funniest stand-up comics America has on offer today. Yes, he may be a trifle ‘dated’ for some, in which case I say – fine, watch O’Brien and suffer the motion sickness. Leno is of the old school, a guru for the younger, up-and-coming comedians of the day. His rapport with the band is exquisite, his ability to wring the best from his guests, profound.

No doubt, it’s these very qualities that induced NBC to consider sacking Leno and substituting his program slot for Conan O’Brien’s second-rate show.

Well, it’s par for the course, isn’t it? No doubt O’Brien is cheaper than Leno.

Thankfully, Leno has negotiated an earlier time slot, but it bodes ill for the permanence of his exposure on NBC. But, then, NBC was always second-rate, so maybe Leno could do better elsewhere, on a network that recognizes his own singular brand of genius.

On the other hand, this is America, where the dollar is way more important then genius.

One thing’s for sure: the Tivo line-up chez Adams is now BBC News, NBC Nightly News, The Daily Show, Colbert Report, and the Late Show with Jay Leno.

It will stay that way until NBC decide, in their infinite stupidity, to finally replace Leno with Joe the Plumber.

Filed under: TV’s best