THOSE AMONG YOU WHO NEED ANSWERS AS TO WHY FREEVEE IS GETTING ANTISEPTICALLY PREDICTABLE (AND THEN SOME) may want to ponder the following editorial from the Star Tribune of Minneapolis as addresses the sterile escapism inherent in the fall programme lineups on FreeVee:

In this time of high-stakes politics and economic malaise, apparently the broadcast networks think the only reality viewers can handle is reality TV itself.

At least that's the early take on next fall's new primetime programs, recently unveiled in New York.

It's an especially escapist schedule, with no new scripted series reflecting the ongoing debate about economic opportunities and outcomes that impact so many Americans, and that have been the backdrop of this season's most compelling TV: the hybrid reality/drama/comedy series better known as the Democratic presidential primary race.

Instead, there's an overwhelming focus on wealth. Indeed, the juxtaposition between reality and TV life played out in New York on the same day working-class voters gave Sen. Hillary Clinton a 41-point thumping of Sen. Barack Obama in West Virginia.

The CW network proclaimed the moneyed upper west side of Manhattan as the perfect setting for "Gossip Girls." Also touted were "Surviving the Filthy Rich," about tutoring wealthy teens in Palm Beach, and "90210," an update of "Beverly Hills 90210," the original celebration of all things young, rich and unrealistic.

So Roseanne Connor and Ralph Kramden need not apply. Nor Archie Bunker or Fred Sanford, two everyman philosophers who helped the nation laugh--and occasionally think--in a previous economic downturn. Even the Depression drama of "The Waltons" would be welcome, at least to show how enduring values are not only endearing ("Good night, John Boy!"), but also vital as families go through tough times.

This is not to say the have-nots will be completely missing, however. But just as the civil rights movement is often seen through white protagonists in films like "Mississippi Burning," the poor will be seen through the eyes of the rich, as Fox's "Secret Millionaire'' and NBC's "The Philanthropist" are reality shows based on taking some of the haves' wealth and sharing it with the working poor.

To many, all of this may not seem to matter. But TV's disconnect from reality robs today's fractured society of the connections to everyday cultural reference points. And it also may help explain the dizzying declines in network ratings. For some, prime time has lost its resonance, if not relevance. A key indicator of network TV viewership is economic class: The lower the household income, the higher the propensity to watch. So the people invisible on-screen are often the very same ones in front of them.

And lower ratings mean lower revenue available for news, which may be the only TV time left for real-life stories. Based on what we've seen of the new network programming, higher prices, lower expectations and subprime mortgages just aren't prime time material.

Which makes all the more worthwhile a boycott of FreeVee, even as the final transition of American broadcasting from analogue to digital standard heads into the homestretch. Such, no doubt, should send a message to the powers that be in FreeVee that American audiences have better ways to make wise use of their time than watching predictably bland and escapist Mickey Mouse.

Like surfing the Information Stuporbahn.

Except (in the minds of certain hyperconservative Zealots and True Believers) the Lower Classes, who can be expected to watch nothing better than "elegant poornoo" lacking in plot or story--in other words, nothing less than random and unrelated scenes of human and animal sexual activity--or, for that matter, Grand Guignol-stylee ultraviolence.

The reason?

"They [the Lower Classes] deserve it, and they have nothing better to do anyway" will be the likely bromide of an answer.

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MEANWHILE, METEOROLOGICALLY SPEAKING, THE MINNWISSIPPI IS RATHER COOL AND CLOUDY, if a bit on the bracing side for the time of year.

Which, on the overnight into tomorrow, will give way to showers and maybe the odd thunderstorm.

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AND THE AMERICAN MIDWEST IS SEEING A REPRIEVE FOR ONCE FROM SEVERAL DAYS OF SEVERE WEATHER galore, seeing major destruction in a swath from Texas northeastwards into Missouri and Iowa, with Kansas seeing quite the brunt of destruction.

Which brings to note where the Iowa communities of Parkersburg, Aplington, Sinclair and New Hartford (northwest of Waterloo, in case you're wondering) have seen substantial tornadic destruction, with Parkersburg especially hard hit. Fortunately, though, no casualties ensued.

As for the reconstruction thereof, Your Correspondent would like to suggest that the four such be consolidated into a single "strip town" to better serve an increasing likelihood of their being bedroom communities for the Waterloo/Cedar Falls connurbation along Beaver Creek. That, and reconstruction along "garden city" models using "green" concepts (think Welwyn Garden City meets the reconstruction of Greensburg, KS following tornado damage last spring), along with a town centre whose shops would emphasise that which is practical and utilitarian as opposed to the Wally World model of antiseptic vanity).

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FROM ONE EHUD TO ANOTHER DEPARTMENT: Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak is calling on Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to step down for the greater glory of the Jewish State in the wake of corruption charges ensuing against Mr. Olmert.

Fodder guaranteed to raise the hackles of the anti-Zionist elements within measurable distance, no?

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IN THE WAKE OF ANTI-FOREIGNER RIOTING AND ULTRAVIOLENCE ACROSS SOUTH AFRICA of late, with outbreaks of mayhem and rozzrezzing observed in Johannesburg, Durban and Kaapstad, the South African Government has announced the establishment of seven refugee camps across the country as would accomodate between them 70,000 migrants and refugees fleeing unstable socioeconomic conditions and/or violence elsewhere across Africa.

The news of which is guaranteed to provide further ammunition among racists and white supremacists seeking funds among "right-thinking White Christian Families," relete with the inevitably pathetic-sounding appeals to a warped notion of Racial Honour and Pride, to "assist with the evacuation of a once-proud White Christian people and community" in the Afrikaner, and their "resettlement" along their desired lines of farmers and pastoralists.

Said "evacuation" based, as it turns out, on insincere claims of "fear of persecution" as may actually be scripted enough to arouse suspicions @ Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

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AND STAYING IN AFRICA FOR THE MOMENT, JAPAN HAS ANNOUNCED WHERE IT INTENDS TO BE A SERIOUS RIVAL TO THE SO-CALLED "PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA" when it comes to economic aid and development.

As in Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda announcing where Japan will double its foreign-development aid to Africa (currently estimated @ some US$1.7 billion/annum) over the next five years, and futher encourage Japanese companies to establish a presence in individual African states.

Much of said foreign-development aid to Africa likely taking the form of grants to improve rice production in sub-Saharan regions so as to reduce dependency on rice imports from particularly Asian producers, the which would go into developing new, higher-yielding strains suitable to African conditions and constructing improved irrigation systems essential to rice production.

Something which the Japanese might want to consider doing as well is to assist in development of approriate high-sped passenger rail systems for American conditions, and especially so considering our latent air-mindedness--and our accepting same as one with our presumed "moral superiority" as a nation and society.  

WITH HIS FRAUDULENCY'S GREAT WITHIN DEMANDING LAW-ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO DO MORE IN THE LAW-AND-ORDER DEPARTMENT WITH LESS MONEY in the name of ur-RAHOWA Against International Terrorism, the next thing you know, conservative Zealots and True Believers will be calling for "empowerment" of the citizenry for the sake of Law and Order.

Which, alas for it! reeks of the enforced climate of fear as was imposed upon the "free" states prior to the Civil War under the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, which obligated all resident in "free" states to raise hue and cry towards the capture and return of escaped slaves to their masters.

Only this time, such a warped vigilantism involving Die Groot Stil Meerderheid would be applied towards suspected "terrorists" (even if they are Muslim students legally in the United States) or "illegal immigrants" (especially such not speaking English), among other "enemies of the people."

And the "empowered" expected to use "whatever means necessary," even if it tends to the sick and depraved brand of ultraviolence, for the sake of Law and Order.

Especially if such results in serious injury or (better yet) death--and the perps (more than likely beer-drinking Joe Sixpack types right up there with Bart Simpson, Beavis and Butt-head and the Kanker Sisters) getting away, in effect, with murder in the name of maintaining a White Male Low Church Christian Power Structure.

Which His Fraudulency wants desperately all the more ere he leaves office.

And which America doesn't need.

WITH THE 2008 EDITION OF TGMnGT, AS IN THE MINNESOTA STATE FAIR, A LITTLE UNDER THREE MONTH AWAY NOW AS THIS IS POSTED, Your Correspondent has got to thinking recently about the kind of book he'd love to see about same.

In fact, he has a copy of Minnesota State Fair: An Illustrated History by Kathryn Strand-Koutsky and Linda Koutsky (Coffee House Press in association with the Minnesota State Fair Foundation) he picked up last year as among his souvenirs thereof.

And has also read Karyl Ann Marling's Blue Ribbon: A Pictorial and Social History of the Minnesota State Fair (Minnesota Historical Society Press), perhaps the definitive text on same up to recent times.

Which brings to mind another interesting possibility:

Having none other than Fairchild and Fairborne (the gopher mascots of TGMnGT since 1966 and 1982, respectively) writing their own volume about TGMnGT from their own perspective, a mix of memoir, guide and anecdotes about TGMnGT from its two ambassadors of goodwill in mascot form--perhaps best equipped to write their own volume of observations.

Even if it was that Fairchild's changed considerably in appearence in his 42 years as Fair mascot (originally a somewhat pudgy type himself), or that his name came about in a contest, or that it indirectly honours one Howard W. Fairchild, a longtime member of the State Fair's Board of Managers as was responsible for locating the State Fairgrounds along Como and Snelling avenues in Falcon Heights in 1885.

Or the fact of Fairborne being (as TGMnGT's Entertainment Department, which has responsibility for the mascots, wants us to know) Fairchild's nephew ... even if, in more recent years, the two seem to look like identical twins to visitors during meet-and-greets which can get to be rather hilarious by turns--even in old-school showman's getup of green-and-white striped vest, black pipestem trousers and straw skimmer hats.

Even better yet, from what I understand, is that they love their corn dogs as much as any TGMnGT devotee. Not to mention the 4-H exhibits in particular.

Come to think of it, Fairchild and Fairborne will certainly have plenty to write about in book form for sale during TGMnGT, IMHO ... no doubt sure to be of interest among TGMnGT fans old and new, in their own rather interesting way. 

YOUR CORRESPONDENT HAS LONG IMAGINED THE POSSIBILITIES FOR WHERE WAYNE AND GARTH'S "NOT!" (per the "Wayne's World" routine on Saturday Night Live) could serve as worthwhile rejoinder for Fox Prolefeed's rather bombastic rhetoricals like:

• "Fair and Balanced!"
• "The No-Spin Zone!"
• "Expanding your knowledge base!"

Which, @ mininum, is what Fox Prolefeed deserves.

Especially considering its appeal to the vulnerable and easily-influenced of society, what with Fox Prolefeed's leanings being Producerist for the most part.

WHICH SEEMS TO BE PRETTY MUCH THE ATTITUDE WITH FOX PROLEFEED AND OTHERS AMONG THE DARK SATANIC MILLS OF CONSERVATIVE PROPAGANDA, as documented in this blog previously.

But enough of that:

The Holiday Long Weekend here in the Minnwissippi managed to turn out rather nice, even to the point of our "lucking out" on severe weather as wound up instead afflicting areas closer to the Twin Cities--Hugo in particular, which saw one casualty and much devastation.

Meanwhile, as I post this, things are rather unseasonably cool for the time of year; in fact, I hear where the Brainerd Lakes area was under a Frost Warning overnight, which is not unusual for northern Minnesota @ this time of year; generally, the last killing frosts in northerly latitudes of The Gopher State will tend to be around June 1st through 10th.

As the week wears on, though, warmer weather should make its presence known--even if it means an odd thunderstorm or two with substantial rain.

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NO WONDER HOMESCHOOLING SUPPORTERS LOVE TO OVERSENSATIONALISE EPISODES OF LeTOURNEAUISM AS CROSS THE WIRES and make the headlines as they occur:

Save The Children, an international relief organisation, hath it in a blistering new report for the United Nations that children as young as six are being sexually exploited to the point of perversion, and then some, by military troops, relief-agency workers and suchlike--usually in exchange for small gifts.

Africa is said to be especially notorious for such activity on a massive scale, with Côte d'Ivore said to be the worst offender thanks to ongoing civil war and its byproducts of social dislocation.

No wonder homeschooling carries the risk of being subjected to episodes of incest as an agency of exercising control and coercion....

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IN A QUASI-RELATED VEIN OF SORTS, Your Correspondent takes note of where the French film The Class took the Palme d'Or of the Cannes Film Festival @ the weekend, the first such for French cinema in 21 years.

Basically put, The Class revolves around the course of a school year in the milieu of a middle school classroom as could be considered a House of All Nations thanks to the multicultural nature and makeup of its students.

Next thing you know, the Kulturkrieg crowd will want to be raising funds to finance a "reply" film therefor, which would be expected to depict a Christian Homeschooling family in what's expected to be hagiographic terms and contexts ... only it turns out being even more dysfunctional than those of Homer Simpson, Peter Griffin and The Kanker Sisters put together, thanks to episodes of abuse and incest packaged as "Christian love" all along.

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RECOMMENDED READING @ THIS TIME, IF ONLY FOR THE SAKE OF POTENTIALLY PROPHETIC INSIGHT (AND THEN SOME): George Packer's brilliant exugenesis in The New Yorker as enquireth whether the conservative political movement may be heading for a major crash-and-burn as Indecision 2008 looms all the closer.

And a crash-and-burn which the conservative movement may be unable to recover from, as its consequences could be far-reaching and then some.

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A NEW PILL FOR "PATRIOTIC" XENOPHOBES WHOSE MINDS ARE STUCK IN THE "MORALLY SUPERIOR" UNITED STATES: City officials in the Sydney (AUS) suburb of Camden have rejected planning approval for an Islamic school there, claiming that its presence would not only worsen traffic and parking problems, but also risks "undermining the traditional social character" of the area.

No wonder there are Zealots and True Believers in the White Male Low Church Christian Power Structure across the English-speaking world all the more--not to mention the White Man's Burden as an agency of the so-called "New American Century."

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IN THE WAKE OF THE RECENT EARTHQUAKE AND AFTERSHOCKS IN CHINA'S SICHWUAN PROVINCE as have now killed (according to official estimates) some 65,000 people and left homeless some 5 million people after their communities were devastated wholesale, some are starting to wonder if such may be the beginning of the end for the Chinese Communist regime and its doctrine of "developing socialism with Chinese characteristics," especially as earthquake survivors complain about the destruction being aggravated by sub-standard construction materials and techniques.

And the corrupt tendencies of local officials and construction workers as accepted bribes and backhanders to look the other way vis-a-vis the shady construction; some survivors as have managed to post onto blogs and comment boards are asking if public officials are more interested in maintaining fancy apartments, high-end cars and stables of concubines @ the expense of public interest and welfare, especially in view of these same revelations.

(BTW, readers, "socialism with Chinese characteristics" is the inspiration for my own term "capitalism with American characteristics," as appears in this blog from time to time in an ironic and @ once sarcastic context as targets the Zealots and True Believers seeing in said capitalistic models and paradigms the "complete and final" empowerment of the "chronically and habitually welfare dependent" out of "unhealthy Socialistic tendencies" they supposedly developed "subtly" and towards--in theory--a Renewed Healthy Respect for Industry, Self-Reliance, Personal Responsibility, Thrift based on Cash Economy and a Wholesome and Simple Home Life. Now you know.)