THE DAILY BLADE: Reverse Racism At The New York Times
In an article headlined, "White Police Chief Could Upset a Balance in Newark," The New York Times reports that Newark Mayor Cory A. Booker "removed the word ‘acting’ from the title of his police chief, Anthony Campos, a Portuguese-American who, along with Police Director Garry F. McCarthy, leads the city’s 1,300-member police force."
The Times worries that, "In a city like Newark, where the majority of the population is black and race issues bubble just below the surface, the decision to place two white men at the helm of the city’s Police Department could threaten the good will and unity that Mr. Booker has been enjoying of late."
The Stiletto cannot even imagine The Times running an article with the hed, "Black Police Chief Could Upset a Balance in New York," and fretting that "In a city like New York, where the majority of the population is white and race issues bubble just below the surface, the decision to place two black men at the helm of the city’s Police Department could threaten the good will and unity that Mayor Bloomberg has been enjoying of late."
Perhaps the never-ending miasma of violence that plagues Newark can be explained by not placing great value on getting the best man for the job, but placing "great value on symbolism … a tradition, decades old, that split the jobs of police director and police chief along racial lines." Instead of second-guessing Booker, The Times should applaud him for creating a new tradition of doing what’s best for the black – and white – citizens of Newark by placing competence over all other calculations.
Trouble In Toyland Helps U.S. Toy Makers
With some 80 percent of toys sold in the U.S. are manufactured in China, the handful of U.S. toy makers still in business have struggled mightily to compete against the cheaper imports. But in the wake of Mattel announcing the biggest toy recall in its history and 1.5 million Thomas & Friends toy train sets recalled in June, more American-made toys may be making their way into children’s toy boxes this Christmas.
Several manufacturers of American-made toys tell The New York Times that they have been "inundated" with calls and e-mails from retail chains and parents inquiring about their products:
Whittle Shortline Railroad, a company in Louisiana, Mo., that makes wooden trains and trucks, posted a banner on its Web site several weeks ago: "100 percent kid-safe," it read, "with lead-free paints." …
"We are little bitty, but we are taking some leaps and bounds here," said Mr. Whitworth, who sells his toys over the Internet and in neighborhood toy and train stores. "Actually, we have seen about a 40 percent jump since late June." …
"It’s created a lot of buzz," said Mike Rainville, owner of Maple Landmark toys in Middlebury, Vt., who said his company had experienced a "nudge" in sales. "We expect the impact to manifest itself more as time goes on." …
"Our brand is clearly made in Vermont," he said. "So people understand almost inherently that what is going on in China is different from what we’re doing." …
"People are not going to forget about this for at least this Christmas season," he said.
Sue Dennison, co-owner of Roy Toy, which is based in East Machias, Me., said orders were up about 25 percent over the last several weeks. "I used to get probably two e-mails a week inquiring about U.S.-made toys," she said. "Now I’m getting four or five a day."
Ms. Dennison said her company did not use paint on its wooden toys but uses dyes that are approved for use on food.
Safety has suddenly become a big selling factor. But before these massive toy recalls, American manufacturers "relied to some extent on snob appeal and survived mostly by emphasizing the quality of their products - even if they cost more money," notes The Times. Manufacturers and small retailers could always rely on a more discerning segment of the market willing to go online or search out boutique children’s stores for toys handmade in the U.S. or Europe.
FNC’s "Half Hour News Hour" History
MediaBistro blog TVNewser breaks the news that Bill Shine, FNC SVP of programming, sent a memo to senior producers yesterday afternoon announcing that the network "will not continue the Half Hour News Hour beyond its current 15 episode run." Shine added, "we are considering ways to retool the show for future scheduling needs."
Two ways FNC can retool (improve) the TV news satire show: Make it funny, and can the canned laughter. In The Stiletto’s not-so-humble opinion, the show was painful to watch and the laugh track only underscored the lameness of the jokes. Having said that, according to TVNewser, the show nearly always won its timeslot on Sunday night. Go figure.
Editorial Note: The Stiletto just happens to have some experience writing political humor, in case Shine is looking for fresh talent. She’d like to keep her day job, though.
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