What liberal media bias?

Over at Crooks and Liars, there's a scathing expose of CNN's blatant double standard for reporting. Liberal media bias my ass.

This is CNN's ridiculous coverage of Pelosi's trip to Syria:



If that is an acceptable caption, shouldn't THESE also be featured too?

ANTI-WAR CRITICAL MASS: 3/17/07

Finally, the video for last Saturday's Critical Mass is online! Early reports put the number of UCSB students riding the 14 miles downtown at 200. The rally downtown was 1,000 strong as we all marched in solidarity down State Street.

Words fail to describe what an amazing experience I had being part of that crowd. It's truly one of those "once in a lifetime" things.

Make college admissions a crapshoot

The LA Times has a good article today about the utter ridiculousness that is the modern-day college admissions process. Barry Schwartz, a professor of psychology, proposes that colleges should only choose students that are "good enough" for admission. Then they would randomly select these students into the spaces available (or as he puts it "drawing them out of a hat").

He writes, "We like to believe, in our least cynical moments, that the U.S. is a meritocracy. Success is about talent and hard work. Luck has nothing to do with it. This attitude may well contribute to a lack of sympathy, sometimes even bordering on disdain, for life's losers. I believe that this attitude is profoundly false. It is not the case that people always get what they deserve. There just aren't enough top rungs on the Ivy League's (or life's) ladders for everyone to fit.

If talented and hardworking people are forced to confront the element of chance in life's outcomes when they (or their kids) fail to get into the "best" college, they may be more inclined to acknowledge the role of luck in shaping the lives of the people around them. And this may make them more empathic toward others — and a good deal more committed to creating more room at the top."
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That's some important food for thought for everyone, including those of us already in college.

NYT: McCain Stumbles on H.I.V. Prevention

"No I don't believe condoms help protect against STDs. Also, leeches are a great way to treat cancer."
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John McCain's "Straight Talk Express" got derailed yesterday by a reporter's question during a campaign stop in Iowa. Here's a brief excerpt from the New York Times:

Q: “So no contraception, no counseling on contraception. Just abstinence. Do you think contraceptives help stop the spread of HIV?”

Mr. McCain: (Long pause) “You’ve stumped me.”

Q: “I mean, I think you’d probably agree it probably does help stop it?”

Mr. McCain: (Laughs) “Are we on the Straight Talk express? I’m not informed enough on it. Let me find out. You know, I’m sure I’ve taken a position on it on the past. I have to find out what my position was. Brian, would you find out what my position is on contraception – I’m sure I’m opposed to government spending on it, I’m sure I support the president’s policies on it.”

Ahhh...I love the smell of pandering in the morning.

Click on the banner for the full story.

A taste of what's to come on Saturday

In case you've been hiding in a cave for the past couple weeks, students from UCSB and other community activists are organizing a "Critical Mass" bike ride to protest the Iraq War this Saturday March 17th.

They'll be leaving from Pardall Tunnel at 9am to meet downtown at 11am for a huge anti-war rally.

I guess all the naysayers who said our generation didn't care about anything were wrong. Big surprise.

Featured video: a recap from the Feb. 15th Strike Against the War. If you thought that was amazing, just wait until this weekend.

CPAC 2007: The Unauthorized Documentary

This is a must-see video of The Nation's Max Blumenthal going undercover at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).

Watch Malkin and Horowitz go ballistic! Blumenthal definitely wins The RUNDOWN's "Biggest Cajones" Award for the week.

Public Service Announcement: FREE COFFEE TOMORROW

"We own your soul. Resistance is futile." -->>

The RUNDOWN is taking a brief break from politics to issue this PSA: Tomorrow March 15th starting from 10 AM to noon, Starbucks will be giving away free tall (12oz) coffees to all customers as part of their second annual nationwide "Coffee Break".

So Gauchos, go out tomorrow and grab that cup of Joe. Even if you think Starbucks tastes like shit (like I do), at least it won't cost you anything. And everyone knows that "free" is the best tasting ingredient.