FCC Indecency View Out Of Focus – Philly TV’s E-Mail Scandal – Septa Trains Need Sparkle
First the FCC. The Federal Appeals court in Philadelphia has thrown out the most ridiculous attempt at Big Brother government from the FCC – the fine against CBS for the nano second in the 2004 Super Bowl when Janet Jackson bared herself, or rather was “bared” by Justin Timberlake. First off – it was a stupid little event, but the geniuses at the FCC, controlled now by a party with a super idelogical agenda, decided to fine CBS millions.
Now, the court rebukes the FCC for this ridiculous fine. I’ve said it before. I’ll say it again -the FCC should be more concerned about the radio talkers who spawn racial hatred with their fiery commentary. THAT IS INDECENCY, REAL INDECENCY. AND IT SHOULD BE STOPPED.
The FIRST AMENDMENT does not protect free speech disguised to promote hatred against Americans. The next President should appoint members of the FCC who do not come aboard with any ideological agenda.
FEDERAL E-MAIL CASE-
This is a sad story. It is always sad when you know the people involved. The story makes you wonder about workplace woes, and how people allow their actions to get out of control. The story also makes you wonder if leaks to news organizations are ever verified. Gossip is gossip and the acquisition of harmless gossip seems to have different rules. But when legal cases are involved, when people’s lives and careers are on the line, shouldn’t news outfits require their reporters to appropriately confirm these stories? It makes you think about what peril bad or illegally obtained information puts a news organization in. I worry about this. Because, unfortunately, as news people, we are often portrayed with a broad brush.
FILTHY TRAINS -
Does Septa clean its trains? I hope so because in the past several weeks, I have been riding on regional passenger trains that are filthy. I am not talking about specs of dirt on the floors. I am talking about dusty, dirty, stained trains that have filthy floors. THIS IS SEPTA’S BIG CHANCE – THE TRAINS ARE PACKED. THIS IS THE TIME FOR SEPTA TO SHINE. CLEAN IT UP!
DEMOCRATS IN PA. HOUSE -
It is clearly time for Pa. House Democrats to shake up their leadership. The criminal charges pending against some state lawmakers for using tax money, and the failure to deal with this mess early on, suggests that the leadership should be changed. Is their any guts in Harrisburg? Will other, honest lawmakers, be tainted by this scandal?
Comments(29)
The pirates will return quickly after this posting. There is very little substance here. I give it 4 hours before mass digression.
I guess if you want to make a distinction on the difference between the JJ-JT SuperBowl gaff and hate talk radio, I would break it out this way. The SB is the most watched TV event of the year. The audience age runs the gammit. They are expecting entertainment at halftime (although recent history would indicate otherwise). Having a wannabe like JJ strip, albeit momentary, serves no purpose. CBS is in responsible for the content of the show. They had to send a message. Conversely, people know what they are getting when they tune in talk radio. They make a conscious decision to listen. Families are tuning in to listen to music or a sports event.
In my mind, they both should answer to FCC, 2nd Amendment or not. The distinction I make here is that radio talk listeners expect the worst. Families watching a sporting event should not be subjected to this type of crassness.
Larry, we are happy you have become a man of the people. Fighting for free air. Now riding SEPTA. What’s next, cleaning up port-o-potties in Independence Square?
OOOJ, there is not much to add to your points- well said. Larry suggests curtailing free speech on radio, a medium that has thousands of alternatives if you include satelite. HE happens to not like what he hears on certain radio stations because those views are not in alignment with his politcally correct view of the world or they are outside his personal comfort zone. If the FCC let that Jackson thing go we know the networks would take it as a green light to keep taking it up a notch. Network TV is different because they get special privaleges that allow their business to be what it is, versus Cable TV. With those privalege comes responsibility to decency and what an American family can expect when tuning into Super Bowl.
He’s right about those Septa trains. People have been dropping feces on the R3 trains late at night and these mounds of human waste are then found by morning commuters almost everday. It could be disgruntled employees doing it in the yard, but in any event it is disgusting and should not be tolerated. You can eat off the floors of many NYC subway cars nowadays, yet Philadelpia tolerates dirty trains and now Rittenhouse Square is crowded with up to 60 homeless (bums) each night. The Park should close at midnight and nobody should be allowed back in until 6AM, its an easy fix, happens in Bryant Park in NY everday and it’s beautiful. For some reasons Philadelpia tolerates this nonesense and vistors come away with a very bad experince after visiting one of our most beautiful public resources. Mayor Nutter could fix this problem today if he had the resolve!
Actually, Larry, I’m going to have to disagree with you there. The First Amendment does protect such speech so long as it isn’t an immediate incitement to imminent violence or riot. There are several Supreme Court decisions that bear that out. You may have seen the Blues Brothers, which borrowed from contemporary events and included American Nazis marching in Skokie, which they were permitted to do because of the First Amendment. Do you think the Nazis were preaching love and tolerance? Just because you find another person’s viewpoint repellant doesn’t mean that the First Amendment doesn’t protect their right to offer it in the public forum. The answer is more and better speech, not censorship.
You are right about CBS3, though. What a disaster. The keystone left and the bridge fell down. ABC6 is where it’s at.
As for dirty trains, you should try the Market-Frankford El, which I ride twice every day of the workweek. It’s disgusting. And SEPTA workers don’t care. People sit right in front of them eating food and spilling it on the seats, and the SEPTA workers do nothing, even though open food and beverages aren’t permitted on the trains. And then you get the homeless people who shuffle on, sit down, and foul the seats with their urine-drenched clothes. (There is a homeless problem in this city that needs to be addressed, Larry. People need help. Someone might want to offer some opinions about that.)
Homonym alert, Larry. To the Grammarmobile!
It’s time for Ed Rendell to go. He hasn’t done his party any favors in most of the state. He’s not much of a leader. He’s just another pol. What did he get us? Casino gambling. Whoopie! God help us if he becomes Obama’s VP candidate.
Larry, I think that the first amendment does indeed protect hate speech – short of violent overthrow of the government. As disgusting as it may be, the loonies have the same protection as everyone else. We have to rely on mental filters to keep the garbage out. The listeners of talk radio are already disposed to accept what the hear there, good or bad.
The clowns in Harrisburg should be removed by the voters. The old boy network is not likely to do it. If it gets close to Philly, nothing will happen (note the lack of change after the pay raise issue)”..corrupt and content..” (1904)
Ahoy Maties! Let the pirate skullduggery begin!
Larry,
I’m kinda on both sides of the FCC issue. Yeah, I personally believe that instead of bawling about exposed body parts that can’t be seen clearly unless you play back TIVO or your DVR frame by frame, the FCC should concern itself more with hate speech.
That being said, I agree with the previous posters who have stated that that kind of speech is indeed protected, Formerly Jim has the right idea about mental filters.
I have been hearing and reading bits and pieces of the craziness goin’ on at channel 3, but didn’t get the full story until I caught a report on CNN’s website a couple of days ago. I am hoping this will be settled soon.
SEPTA. Well, what can I say? Maybe they can have a clean up crew on stand by at both ends of each regional rail line and at both ends of Broad Street and Market-Frankford lines so they can ‘hit the cars’ when they arrive. As for yard personnel doing the horrible things as described by George…well I find that highly dubious.
Why? Well for the simple fact that logically not all SEPTA employees will be disgruntled,(don’t jump on me yet George, yes you did not say all were disgruntled:)). That leaves the majority that are earnest and hard working. Do you REALLY think that the train operators and electrical/mechanical maintenance personnel that have to place THEIR HANDS on this equipment will tolerate having such filth in any proximity of them? No, those acts and other rude and filthy ones my friend, are indeed that of some of the riding public. Which makes my cleaning crew idea sound more logical.
As for SEPTA employees ‘doing something’ when they witness illegal activity while they’re on board a SEPTA vehicle…unless they can get in touch with SEPTA police…they are just as powerless as anyone else, ultimately they can’t enforce anything without someone who has the authority to back them up. Of course I wish otherwise. Getting shot for telling someone to pick up that Herr’s potato chip bag they just threw on the floor is not part of the job description, unless you have a badge.
You should see the condition of our hulls. Deplorable. We use to dump our garbage in the Atlantic but the Green Peace freeks have changed that.
It’s time for SEPTA to shine?
Hasn’t anyone ever told you that you can’t polish a turd? I think that applies fully to SEPTA.
SEPTA has too many surly and officious workers who just don’t care. That’s almost worse than the filth on the trains.
When I’m ported in Philthadelphia, I steer clear of SEPTA. Too many unsavory characters riding public transportation.
When ever my mother in-law visits Phila. i tell her my car is in the shop and we have to use septa,this keeps her visits to a minimum.
It recently occurred to me that the grand irony of Larry’s blog is that he wants FREE AIR but he doesn’t want FREE AIRWAVES.
Leo, please return Jack Russell. I miss his yelping and whining.
Bluebeard, I didn’t do anything to jr. I suspect he’s out trying to find the “real killers.”
More summer reruns ? Let the “cleverness” begin.
On the way back from vacation with Mrs.Yankee & the two Yankee Clippers, I was forced to stop for gas on the New Jersey Turnpike.While waiting to finish I looked around & there it was,larger than life,a sign saying ” Free Air”.It was beckoning to me,the way these things beckon to characters in Kurt Vonnegut novels & I knew it was time to check Insider Info.
YFAP, Larry just pumps us full of sunshine. Welcome back.
Pirates everywhere, all points bulletin for a middle-aged man, about 55 years old, slim in build, short in stature, goes by the screen name of Jack Russell. Bark worse than his bite. Last seen in Philly in spandex.
Jack I miss you too! The blog isn’t the same without you. Once Hillary gets back into the mix at the convention who will I share my admiration of her latest pantsuit with?
We’re like a dysfunctional family here and Larry is our father, who is wrong half the time,but we kind of respect him. We fight like nasty siblings sometimes, but in the end we love each other. Leo probably didnt mean what he said, he’s often nasty to me too, but he’s probably not really a bad guy. Larry has enough on his mind with his new novel and he’s simply spread too thin. Since we dont have a mother to force you and Leo to call a truce, we’re at an unfortunate deadlock.
Why doesnt everyone who wants Mr Jack Russell back say so, and when he sees the outpouring of love he will come back and we’ll all have virtual heterosexual man hugs!
Come back Jack!
On further reflection, maybe Larry is pro-nozzle. There are nozzles on air compressor hoses, and there are nozzles on Janet Jackson. What is the Grand Unification Theory here?
Ahoy Leo, pirate and nozzle references. What are you trying to infer about Larry?
Is he trolling on SEPTA?
….so much for bringing this blog back on course.
FJ, Larry didn’t trying hard enough to bring blog back on course with the topics at hand. Now its grounded ashore and on the rocks. Only a major faux pas by McCain or Obama can save Larry now. Maybe a JR love-fest if LB comes onboard.
Perhaps we should hijack the topic and get some serious conversation going again.
How about other press-capades? Did anyone read about Bob Novak, he who outed Valerie Plame, hitting a pedestrian with his car and fleeing the scene? A defense lawyer with a big D.C. law firm was biking to work and saw it happen. He chased Novak and caught up with him. Novak claimed he wasn’t aware he’d hit anyone, and that the person was crossing against the light, but the lawyer said the pedestrian had a walk signal and ended up up on Novak’s windshield.
I hope Novak gets what’s coming to him. Maybe he and Larry Mendte and Alycia can have a little party of reprobates together.
Bluebeard and OOOJ , I think your ideas may be the ticket for this site.
I pinched a loaf on Amtrak tonight, except I did it in an actual train toilet. There are some who ride Septa and squat between the seats to pass a bowel movement. The reular riders have to deal with this in the morning. I dont want to accuse Septa employees, for all I know it could be the privaleged white skate boarder kids who go into the city to skate board then take the last train out in the night. Perhaps it’s their way to flip the bird at their parents and upper middle class society- who knows? Poop on the Septa is not cool, and I want to know who is doing it!
George, I get upset when I see dogs doing that on the trains. Mainly it’s jr after too many Clinton Crown Royal Specials.
I’m going on hiatus like Larry. Talk to you on Monday.
Pick your own subject and run with it.
I didn’t hear that about Bob Novak. What a coward if its true. I wonder if he was drinking or had taken prescription drugs for which he did not have a presription. He was tatle tale and it caught up with him, and now someone rightfully tattled on him. Hopefully he gets punished to the full extent of the law, And then God strikes him with inoperable cancer, and he suffers and lingers to reflect fully on his evilness, and an orderly at the hospital slaps him for no reason and leaves him in soiled Depends, that’s justice my friends!
President Obama was looking great in Europe. However, does the irony that he was able to carry his bullet proof vest in Iraq, and move around freely, as a result of the surge having worked, srike anyone as something that we should examine? Or that in Berlin, Reagan courageouly faced an angry mob of 100k and said unpopular things to bring about the change that allowed Obama to stage a rock concert there? That Batman does unpopular things to fight evil and sometimes bends the rules, for a greater good, just as George W Bush has done. Check Friday’s WSJ editorial comparing Batman to GW Bush, its very insightful. Leo I’d especially like to hear your view on that, LArry should read it too, as I bet he is into super heros and views himself as having many Bat qualities.
George, did the surge really “work,” or are the fundamentalists just focusing their efforts in Afghanistan, where the government controls less than 5% of the country now and where the Taliban is once again ascendant? If the military takes troops out of Iraq to deal with the destabilizing fundamentalist activity in Pakistan and Afghanistan, will Iraq hold? Not by any current military estimates. I think it’s premature to say that the surge “worked” when the fundamentalists are increasing their power in the region on the whole.
Unlike Larry, I don’t go in for the whole Batman thing, so aside from a few basics, I wouldn’t know whether a comparison between Batman and Bush is accurate. They’re both rich playboys, but I think that’s where the similarities probably end. For example, Bruce Wayne seems to have a command of the language.
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