iVoryTowerz Highlights

Television: True Blood & the Vampire Craze — Vampires seem to be everywhere these days. At least in the media: television, films, books all seem over-populated with these creatures of the night. Guest blogger Jordan Coughenour discusses the vampire craze with HBO's new hit True Blood on her mind. and the law. Yes the same folks who brought us the marvelous Six Feet Under continue to be interested with death. But this time, the producers are into a kitsch pulp approach to vampires that is also an interesting satire on modern culture and politics. Jordan, as usual, gives us the wider cultural picture of what it all means.



Politics: Social Debate Gone Awry & the Results — When will Bill O'Reilly and the rest of the right-wing spinmeisters ever take responsibility for their actions? Don't they realize that their hateful speech actually creates a climate where those who are unhinged may be pushed to take dispicable actions? Kit-Bacon Gressitt examines the state of right-wing cable and radio talk and finds them low on the responsibility scale. Read this piece to get a view on why the pre-summer political atmosphere seems more dangerous than it should be.





Baseball: The Nationals Need Stephen Strasburg — Why is it Washington, D.C. is cursed with getting the worst team in baseball? This is not the first time this has happened. And management seems perplexed when handed talent to fix the problem. Are the Nationals being pennywise and pound foolish by turning away young pitching talent just because that talent is making high dollar demands? The Nationals did just that last year. And now, they have the potential to do it again despite drafting Stephen Strasburg. Sports commentator Suzie Raven says the Nationals need to do what they can to sign this young pitcher.




NBA Finals 2009: Kobe Wins His Fourth Ring — Sports commentator Phil Kehres not only lets loose on the underachieving Orlando Magic in this post-Finals analysis, but he also takes a few chops at the new World Champion Los Angeles Lakers. All that plus Phil gives us a good example of schadenfreude too. For those who can't get enough basketball, this piece appropriately puts the pro season to rest.