Semi Truths

Media Matters has published an interesting report documenting that “in paper after paper, state after state, and region after region, conservative syndicated columnists get more space than their progressive counterparts.” The report includes a link to a neat little script where you can plug in your local paper and get the results of their study. My impression has been that our own Daily Progress has actually been pretty well balanced in terms of the types of columnists that they present, and this report seems to bear that out.

My friend Mary Hanna held a press conference to help focus local attention on the efforts of her son, Evan Knappenberger, to bring legal action against the US Army’s Stop-Loss program. You can read more about his efforts at TowerGuard.org.

Evan has released an email explaining his recent actions, reproduced below:
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Mother to make statement in Charlottesville on Friday
For Immediate Release: August 30, 2007

WHAT: Statement by Mary Hanna

WHEN: 10:00 a.m. ET, Friday, August 31, 2007

WHERE: 308 Parkwood Place in Woodbrook (Take 29 N to Woodbrook Drive [Lowes and Kohr Bros]. Turn east on Woodbrook. Go to the stop sign. Turn left on Brookmere. Go to the next stop sign. Turn right on Idlewood. Go two blocks. Turn left on Parkwood. It’s the second house on the right.)

Evan Knappenberger of Charlottesville, Va., a graduate of Albemarle High School and a veteran of the Iraq War, has appeared on national television news shows and in numerous national and international media outlets this week.

On Wednesday, the Washington Post published a lengthy profile that included these lines:
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For the past few years, I have been getting my gas from Citgo because it comes from Venezuela and not from the Mid-East or Africa. Yes, I know that Venezuela is still an OPEC member and that Hugo Chavez is far from an angel, but I still admire how he stands up to Geo. Bush.

Normally, I gas up at the Citgo on Ivy. I like the fact that it’s a full-service station and that the attendant will wash my window and offer to check my oil. I tell my kids that this is what gas stations used to be like.

A few days ago, I found myself going up 29 and in need of gas, so I pulled into the 7-Eleven on Hydraulic, for they also carry Citgo gas. Or they used to. After I could not get my Citgo card to work, I stepped into the store. The clerk told me that 7-Eleven as a corporation no longer carries Citgo gas because Chavez had  called Bush “the devil” at the U.N.

“But that’s why I buy Citgo gas!”, I protested. The poor clerk was a little confounded by that answer and responded by trying to sell me a suspicious-looking meat product and a People magazine.

I can think of no earthly reason to ever go to 7-Eleven again.