Episodes
Thursday Mar 26, 2015
The Mark Riley Show - 03.25.15
Thursday Mar 26, 2015
Thursday Mar 26, 2015
RIP Danny Schechter, the News Dissector….dead at 72. A brilliant journalist who I was privileged to know.
Top Stories……
Why Congress is having trouble governing. Squabbling, why else? Whether it’s bi partisan or intra partisan, those DC lawmakers can’t seem to get their game correct. It’s got more drama than a reality TV show. Fund the military, or maybe not so much? Take another run at Obamacare, or not? And that’s just the feuding among Republicans.
Democrats aren’t exempt….Pelosi and Boehner cut a rare deal on Medicare and children’s healthcare, but Democrats don’t like possible restrictions on abortion. The impediment is none other than Sen. Harry Reid.
George Zimmerman blasts Obama for racial tension after shooting. What, and the shooting itself had nothing to do with it? George Zimmerman is now officially part of the Rudy Giuliani School of Irrelevance. He says the Justice Dept. was ordered by the president to pursue a baseless prosecution. Really?
Atlanta police shooting victim tried to live a life that mattered. This is, above all else, a picture of mental health failure as well as law enforcement failure.
As oil prices fall, airfares still stay high. Anyone who’s tried to book a reasonably priced trip involving air travel knows this already. Why haven’t they dropped airfares just a little to correspond to the drop in oil prices? Because they don’t have to, that’s why.
Lead Story…..
Despite woeful service, MTA fare hikes take effect to cover raises. For the first time since the 1940s, people have to wait for trains because the ones in front of their faces are full. And the MTA says this woeful service shows what a great job they’re doing! As Cindy Adams says, Only in New York, kids! The idea that straphangers have to pay more for service that doesn’t improve is a sucker’s bet. When will New Yorkers stop being suckers? Here’s an idea….stop paying for all city vehicles used by elected officials so they have to use public transit like everyone else. Same for NYC members of the State Senate and Assembly.
Ted Cruz becomes first major candidate to announce presidential bid. Ted Cruz, major? No matter, I’m one who prays he wins, even though I know he won’t. Oh yeah, and where’s the birth certificate, Ted? More on him to come.
Texas burglars swipe 15 assault rifles, 30 other guns from collectors. I have friends who are gun collectors, but think about this. Suppose some of the weapons stolen from this Texas guy are used in crimes? After all, they didn’t steal to collect ‘em.
Manhattan area codes multiply, but the original 212 is still coveted. Why oh why do people attach status to an area code? And where can I get my 212?
To the Ridiculous…..
Ted Cruz, who wants to abolish Obamacare, plans to register for Obamacare. He’s making it sound like he has to, but does he?
Thursday Mar 19, 2015
The Mark Riley Show - 03.18.15
Thursday Mar 19, 2015
Thursday Mar 19, 2015
Top Stories…..
Commutes in New York are the longest among major cities, report finds. What, longer than LA??? Is there any way to fix this? And BTW, how much pollution is spewed into the atmosphere by vehicles stuck in traffic? Just asking.
Air Force veteran from New Jersey tried to aid ISIS, US charges. What would cause a military man to help ISIS, apparently with his plane expertise? What should happen to him, if convicted?
Starbucks race together campaign draws widespread mockery on Twitter inspiring #newstarbucksdrinks hashtag. So who’s exactly afraid of what people say on Twitter? The execution was awkward, but the intent was cool. Just another example of people being scared to discuss race.
Diet sodas could be linked to bulging bellies in older adults. What, you mean I should down regular soda instead? Yep, guess so.
Michelle Obama’s mom was worried Barack’s mixed race background could present problems for her daughter. What, like she could become First Lady of the United States??? Seriously, people harbor these fears all the time. Anybody want to argue that a white mother might have fears about their daughter marrying a black man?
Lead Story….
House Republicans propose budget with deep cuts. So what else is new? Get rid of ACA, privatize Medicare, food stamps, the usual “suspects”. And how do they plan on balancing the budget in 10 years? By using the same trickery they accuse Democrats of using.
Swastikas painted inside Jewish fraternity house at Vanderbilt University during party: Cops. It’s not good enough for blacks to be outraged at racism at the University of Oklahoma, and for Jews to be outraged at Anti Semitism at Vanderbilt. We should all be outrage at all shows of intolerance and bigotry, no matter where and to whom they happen.
Holey Crap! Streets are full of massive craters due to lack of highway workers. Have you noticed this is a problem in many areas of American life? How about those waits to talk to a live body for almost anything.
The girls behind the bloody McDonald’s beatdown. I don’t know who to be angrier at…the attackers, or those who stood around and watched. And the ringleader’s got quite a history too. What should happen to her if she’s convicted?
To the Ridiculous….
Professor is your new Thoreau, by being a dick on an airplane. Shouting about the US invading Venezuela? Really? Smoking on the plane. Really? I guess so.
Thursday Mar 12, 2015
The Mark Riley Show - 03.11.15
Thursday Mar 12, 2015
Thursday Mar 12, 2015
RIP Cardinal Egan, Windell Middlebrooks, the Lite Beer guy, and NY Times reporter Claude Sitton
Top Stories
Democrats deplore Republican letter to Tehran on nuke talks. What else are they supposed to do, embrace it? This is no doubt one of the dumbest things I’ve ever seen a group of lawmakers do. What were they thinking? Does their hate of Obama run so deep they would risk jeopardizing future agreements and negotiations with foreign governments? Maybe so.
Georgia investigators look into police shooting of unarmed man. Months after Ferguson and Garner, now we have another incident where unarmed man is shot to death by police. Since he was naked, there seems to be no question they knew he was un armed. So why shoot?
And while we’re on the subject….Thousands protest at Wisconsin capitol after cops shoot unarmed black man, Now we have to confront an ugly question. These two latest incidents taken together ought to lead people to question whether movements like Black Lives Matter and other protests are having any national, cumulative effect. It’s just a question, and it’s not in any way an incentive to violent means to address the issue.
City manager of Ferguson resigns. This is what should happen when you use the black majority of a municipality as an ATM machine for government. Only question is how many other citis and towns are doing the same thing?
Lead Story…
University of Oklahoma expels 2 students over racist fraternity video. It’s costing Oklahoma a lot more than expulsions and national shame. One HS recruit has already taken back his commitment to attend the school. Credit where credit is due in terms of school acting swiftly to boot the frat off school grounds. Wonder if there are any others at other schools with similar outlook.
Robin Thicke and Pharrell over $.7.3 million dollars for ripping off Marvin Gaye with Blurred Lines. Lines weren’t blurred on this one. Jury heard Blurred and Gaye’s Got to Give it Up together, and came to the conclusion most ration people would. It’s a straight rip.
Trans Union, Equifax, and Experian agree to overhaul credit reporting practices. This is only in New York for the time being, but watch other states follow suit, no pun intended.
Clinton tries to quell e-mail controversy. Controversy? What controversy? Another GOP manufactured shibboleth. What do think they’ll find, responsibility for Benghazi?
Bratton and de Blasio offering mixed signals over marijuana. Bratton think weed is causing spike in violence. Mayor isn’t so sure. Argument is so counterintuitive. If weed was legal, would there still be violent turf wars over it, if that’s true at all? Just sayin’.
To the Ridiculous….Denver suburban home with “my wife is a cheater” scrawled on side explodes, burns. Husband has been arrested. Who did he think they’d look at, the cabana boy?
Thursday Mar 05, 2015
The Mark Riley Show - 03.04.15
Thursday Mar 05, 2015
Thursday Mar 05, 2015
Top Stories….
In Congress, Netanyahu faults bad deal on Iran Nuclear program. Or…..Bibi goes to Washington. Aside from what the president said, which was that the Israeli PM’s speech contained nothing new, you might want to ask yourself what his actual solution is. A nation that has nukes (but won’t admit it) wants no negotiations at all to stop another country from getting them. Remember, Bibi said Iran was days away from the bomb more than 20 years ago…
Obamacare goes to the Supreme Court…what, again??? This time, it’s over taxes for subsidies. Does no one want poor folks to be insured?
House approves Homeland Security budget, without strings. Jeez, what’s John Boehner been drinking? This is the clean bill that should have been passed some time ago. What does he want in return?
Oklahoma: House approves executions by gas. Talk about back to the future. California doesn’t even use gas anymore! It’s kill by any means necessary.
Bizarre paperwork error will mean no Democratic nominee in Brooklyn Assembly race. This is as twisted as it gets. Pure slackness if one has ever seen it.
Lead Story…..
Ferguson police routinely violate rights of blacks, Justice Dept. finds. The numbers are irrefutable, and they say that town’s cops are running a racist fiefdom. The real question is….how many other towns and cities are doing the same thing? Then there’s the question of black people as government ATMs.
Workers say TGI Fridays closed, reopened, and only hired white and Latino employees. Maybe the feds are going to have to look into practices in the restaurant and hospitality industries.
What 7 states discovered after spending more than $1 million drug testing welfare recipients. Wanna take a guess? This is a way to get government to reinforce the worst stereotypes of poor people and people of color.
NYPD issues new stop and frisk rules that ban stops based on race. Wait a minute….were stops based on race always taboo?
To the Ridiculous….
Westboro Baptist Church beams down to wrong co-ordinates, miss Spock’s funeral. Hate mongers hate….that’s what they do. They also do stupid pretty well, too.