An Alligator, A Pool, and News at 11:00

Even though many people complain about the amount of bad news in newspapers, if one looks closely there is an amazing amount of fluff. Take for example, The Fugitive like story of Reggie the alligator being reported in Los Angeles today,

Reggie the alligator’s two years of freedom ended this afternoon when the coldblooded fugitive left the chilly waters of Lake Machado and was taken into custody on the shore.

The 7-foot alligator was taken to the Los Angeles Zoo, where he will be quarantined for up to 60 days to make sure he isn’t carrying any diseases.

Still, by all appearances, “he’s in good shape,” said Karen Knipscheer, a spokeswoman for the city’s Animal Services Department.

The capture came as experts from Australia were meeting with Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahn and her aides on how to capture the alligator, which had been spotted recently in the lake near the Harbor Freeway in Harbor City.

I always feel safter when duck and fish serial killers end up behind bars where they belong. I guess the CADFG feels the same way. But the media seems to think that finally putting a stop to the rampage amoung aquatic wildlife by this illegal alien is a sad tale of ended freedoms.

The Times story goes on to point out that one of the local television stations (Channel 7) interrupted normal broadcasting to broadcast Reggie’s trip to the zoo in the back of a pickup live. A stunt the Times laconically compares to “a certain chase of a white Bronco.” As a matter of fact ABC7 in LA still seems to think this was the most important thing that happened yesterday. As can be seen from a screen shot taken from their home page.

Returning to the LA Times for a moment though, they point out a couple of things the ABC reporter “forgot.” If you watch the video, the reporter mentions that the city spent about $180,000 trying to recapture just this one illegal alien. What the reporter doesn’t mention is the fact that one of the people who released Reggie in the first place is a former LAPD officer. Ouch.

But speaking of money, I wonder how much it cost ABC to cover the Reggie drama. And perhaps even more importantly, why did it take 2 reporters (with a hat tip to a third) to do the story at the LA Times?

Wouldn’t one assume a pool reporter would have done a good enough job covering a pool fugitive and the News at 11:00? Apparently not.

Terrorism, it’s only a problem …

…if ‘mericans are targeted.

Apparently the MSM (WP, NYT, LAT, …) and the blogosphere just about freaked out yesterday when, as Wonkette so aptly put it, the Feds Nixed Dix Six.

Bloggers like Ed Morrissey at Captains Quarters and The Moderate Voice’s Shaun Mullen are wondering if this is just another repeat of the famous Miami mixup.

But that is only a small part of the story. These were foreigners, Albanians and ‘muslims’ (abet with no direct connection to al Quaeda) and are thus big news.

The real story is that this only makes national news if the ‘terrorists’ are *gasp* foreign and the targets American. If they’d have been just a couple of good ol’ boys from Alabama out to kill Mexicans … no big deal. Right?

From the Huntsville Times

Five members of a self-styled militia were denied bail Tuesday after a federal agent testified they planned a machine gun attack on Mexicans, but a judge approved bail for a sixth man.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert Armstrong said at a hearing in Birmingham federal court he could not grant bail to the five because of the agent’s testimony and the amount of weapons – including about 200 homemade hand grenades – that were seized in raids Friday in DeKalb County.

“I’m going to be worried if I let these individuals go at this time,” he said.
[…]
During the raids last week, agents recovered 130 homemade hand grenades, a grenade launcher, about 70 hand grenades rigged to be fired from a rifle, a machine gun, a short-barrel shotgun and 2,500 rounds of ammunition, authorities said.

Go back and re-read that last paragraph: 130 homemade hand grenades, a grenade laucher, a machine gun? And the guys planning to hit Fort Dix make the front pages. The arrests in DeKalb County. happened May 2nd.

Um – Folks, can we please take a reality break.

Where were the press releases, the front page headlines, the bloggers terrified of homegrown American militias? Where was Tony Snow Dana Perino pointing out that ATF&E had stopped a terrorist plot?

Was Fort Dix a real plot? Time will tell. Was Birmingham a real plot? Sure looks like it.

Should MSM be ashamed that they are pushing the Fort Dix plot? Look, I have a question for you. Why is America only worried about foreigners, muslims?

There seem to be real terrorist attacks planned and stopped, but no one notices. Just as long as the ‘terrorists’ are Americans.

Isn’t that the real shame?

(Hat Tip: Dave Neiwert/Orcinus)

Hidden Message: BBC Being Run by Zombies…

I don’t even believe the picture and the caption below it…

And yes as of right now (8:20 MET February 28, 2007), they still had the picture up.

(Must eat brains source Wonkette)