The Daily Parker

Politics, Weather, Photography, and the Dog

Still growing, apparently

Back in March, I said that Parker seemed to have reached his adult weight (22 kg). Apparently not. He did lose almost two kilos in April during the "bad butt" incident, but since then he's filled out a little, to 24 kg:

So how big will he get? I mean, before I put him on low-calorie food?

Today's Daily Parker

Just for giggles I took a few photos of Parker as he complained about me going to work this morning. It's easy, by the way, to get him to stop complaining: a frozen, peanut-butter filled Kong works fine. Photo #1 shows him as he realized that I was getting ready to leave:

Photo #2 shows his dissatisfaction with this turn of events:

And yes, Virginia, there is a ParkerCam today (and tomorrow).

Today's Daily Parker

One more from yesterday: only this time, I think a caption is in order. Thoughts? How about, "Um...could you give me a push?"

No ParkerCam today or tomorrow. He's at day camp, so I have more time to finish my current project in West Kishinev.

Today's Daily Parker

Over the weekend, Parker and I played "bring it, give it, drop it" (aka "fetch") for hours. Occasionally—and this is why I'm not even good enough for the Cubs—the ball somehow wound up in the next yard. Fortunately Parker didn't, but not for lack of trying:

Calmest pigeon in Chicago

Parker and I saw this dude hopping in the brush next to a parking lot. By "saw," I mean Parker got close enough to give him a good sniff (but not close enough to chomp on him), which elicited not more from the bird than a disdainful look and continued pecking at the ground. I think he's a fledgling, though I'm puzzled by his coloring and by the tag on his right leg. Any ideas?

Today's Daily Parker

I apologize to anyone who, like me, had Parker withdrawal today. He was at day camp, and I was in meetings all day, so not only am I late getting TDP out today but also there was no ParkerCam.

As a reward for your patience, I present two portraits of the holy terror himself:

Today's Daily Parker

Parker didn't seem to mind much when Ron picked him up:

A moment later, though, I think he wanted to get down:

Poor guy, doesn't get any respect.

Parker, I mean.

O'Reilly worse than Fr. Coughlin: Indiana U.

(Via Romanesko.)

Indiana University's Journalism School has released a paper demonstrating that Fox News commentator Bill O'Reilly uses significantly more propaganda than the infamous 1930s radio commentator Fr. Charles Coughlin:

O’Reilly is a heavier and less nuanced user of the seven devices developed by the Institute for Propaganda Analysis in the late 1930s than the notorious radio commentator of that time, Father Charles Coughlin. O’Reilly also employs other propaganda techniques, identified by Lasswell, Berelson and Janowitz. This includes ample use of fear appeals and the construction of the battle between good and evil. The most evil villains in O’Reilly’s world are illegal aliens, terrorists, and foreigners because they are apparently a physical and moral threat to the United States. Slightly less evil—but unambiguously bad—are groups (media, organizations, politicians) who share a political leaning to the left. On the other side, the virtuous flank emerged as an all-American crew made up of the military, criminal justice system, Bush administration, and ordinary US citizens.

In other words, as all patriotic Americans know, O'Reilly is a reactionary, imbicilic blowhard, who beats up on the innocent in his ongoing campaign to take away your freedoms. Of course, we on the left are usually too polite to point this out.