Both Dissecting Leftism and Captain’s Quarters note that Staples has given in to a threatened boycott called for by the left-wing organization Media Matters for America:

Office-supply retailer Staples Inc. is pulling its advertising from news programming on Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. television stations, saying the decision was fueled in part by e-mails from customers angry at what they consider to be the broadcaster’s right-wing bias in news and commentary. …

Yesterday, Media Matters took partial credit for the Staples decision, but said it never intended to launch a boycott. Instead, its effort was meant to inform advertisers of the nature of the news and commentary on Sinclair stations, the group said.

Both aforementioned bloggers suggest a few emails from right-minded folk might be in order. CQ offers a link to a Staples feedback page while Dissecting Leftism suggests emailing Staple’s Public Relations Manager Owen Davis. I did both.

I am very disappointed to hear that you have taken the side of Media Matters for America and pulled advertising from news programs on Sinclair Broadcasting channels.

There are a lot of us who are tired of the left-wing control of the media and were supportive of Sinclair’s courageous editorials.

I will follow your lead and pull my financial support from all Staples stores until your policy of squashing free speech has been changed.

Please stop all email solicitations to my address as I will be turning to Office Depot and Office Max for my office supplies. Both are slightly less conveniently located for me but that is a price I am willing to pay.

Update: Amy Ridenour has the best post on this subject that I’ve seen.

OK, so I rarely fly anyway. They look at me funny when I have a holster on my belt even though there’s no gun. Still, Marine Corps Moms posts a letter to the editor that you should definitely read, especially if you fly and most especially if you fly Delta.

Hat tip to Donald Sensing.

Winding up her summer tour across Europe, Bonnie Raitt drew thunderous applause at the Stockholm Jazz Festival for dedicating a classic to President George Bush.

“We’re gonna sing this for George Bush because he’s out of here, people!” Raitt crowed Tuesday night before she launched into the opening licks of “Your Good Thing (Is About to End),” a cover that was featured on her 1979 album, “The Glow.”

Not that this affects me much — I don’t listen to her anyway.

From Bloomberg:

Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer and owner of Sam’s Club warehouse stores, gives more money to Republican candidates than any other company. Its top three managers, including Chief Executive Officer H. Lee Scott, donated the individual maximum $2,000 to President George W. Bush, and Jay Allen, vice president for corporate affairs, raised at least $100,000 to re-elect the president, earning him the Bush campaign’s designation of “Pioneer.”…

Costco CEO Jim Sinegal, 68, is a Democrat who says Bush’s $1.7 trillion in tax cuts unfairly benefit the wealthy. He opposed the Iraq war and supports Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts for president. And he’s the only chief executive of a company in the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index to donate money to independent political groups formed to oust Bush, Internal Revenue Service records show….

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Home Depot just took a huge step up in my estimation — and will be my first stop when shopping for home improvement items. The corporation is donating $1 million worth of tools and supplies to the military effort in Iraq:

The company said it is sending nine truck trailers to the military, filled with 100,000 tools and materials, including shovels, table saws, concrete mixers, safety scaffolding, power generators, light bulbs and jackhammers. The donated goods left San Diego on Thursday.

Earlier this year, the company also donated $1 million, as well as a million volunteer hours by its employees, to help military families repair and maintain their homes while a family member is deployed. The company said it has more than 1,800 employees currently serving in the military effort. It has about 300,000 employees nationwide.

Michael Williams says he’ll never see another Danny Glover movie and I emphatically agree, having read Glover’s comments on Reagan’s passing as a nation mourns:

We all know Reagan’s legacy, from the Iran-Contra affair to the funding of the Nicaraguan military in which over 200,000 people died. The groundwork for the move steadily to the right happened with the Reagan administration. People want to elevate him to some mythic level; they have their own reason for doing that.

Ronald Reagan was loved and revered by many. To use your position to utter such unkind words at this moment in time is more than just thoughtless or unkind; Glover seeks to denigrate the man and sully his memory, which is the kind of repugnant behavior that we have come to expect from radical liberals.

Glover might think to wait for a few days so as not to interject his politics into the lives of grieving family and friends. But compassion such as that is beyond the realm of a zealot such as he.

However, this did get me to thinking: what will be my reaction when Bill Clinton or Jimmy Carter die? In order to not intrude at an inopportune moment, I just want to say here and now:

1. Bill Clinton is a draft-dodging, whore-chasing, lying lech of a rapist who brought shame to the office of president.
2. Jimmy Carter is an ineffectual, wimp apologist whose only contribution to society has been the building of homes for the poor, an activity from which he should never divert his attention as whenever he does so he serves to embarrass us all.
3. I have unmitigated contempt for both men and loath them with an intensity that would consume a lesser man.

I think that’s clear.

Coming soon to a town near you: Chinese car dealerships are opening in 14 states.

“Most of the other manufacturers have abandoned the low, entry level of the price market,” said Rams [CEO of China Motors of Texas], noting: “Chinese car makers are committed to becoming a world force.”

With prices between 7 and 11 thousand dollars, becoming a world force may be possible.

The Geely sports sedan, called Solo, will cost $10,888 fully equipped with leather seats, power windows, a remote control entry system, CD player and wood trim. A fully-equipped Solo sedan is $8,888.

Some pickup trucks sell for $7,900, and subcompacts cost $6,900. The prices for the SUVs have not been announced.

Geely offers 3-cylinder and 4-cylinder engines, made in China, as well as a V-6.

The Geely pickup truck has a one liter engine that uses 6.2 liters per 100 kilometers, which is nearly 38 miles to the gallon and a top speed of 98 km/h (60 miles per hour).

Pictured is the “Beauty Leopard” which the website describes with this verbiage:

It is an urban sport car. Its pure ardor appears before you boldly. With perfect and smooth lines, it looks wild and sexy. The decorating tail wing and the integrated crystal headlamp, all match your enthusiasm and ardor. Dancing and exciting air contains your romantic disposition, your wisdom and your elegance.

The infinite vital force and the excellent driving feeling heats up your endless enthusiasm in your blood vessels. It adopts MR479QA inline four-cylinder engine, manual 5-shift transmission, as well as hydraulic power steering unit, letting you enjoy quicker acceleration and accurate steering.

We make every effort to create the fine product, and what you need to do is to feel it with your heart. The double-color luxury instrument panel, adjustable genuine leather power seat, high quality sound system, beautiful dance and wonderful music will accompany you while you are driving on the road.

We integrate the freedom and security in the sport car. The braking system is composed of front braking discs and rear braking drums. It also has ABS system to make brake more quick and stable with good effect. Safety airbag is in front of the driver; the reverse radar and side bumpers let you demonstrate your individuality easily.

Michael Moore?s controversial documentary may get Disney boycotted after all.

Conservatives threatened to boycott the Mouse House last year when it was revealed that the movie company?s subsidiary Miramax was funding the Bush-bashing film, ?Fahrenheit 9/11.? Now that Disney is refusing to let Miramax distribute the Palm D?or winning flick, liberals are organizing a boycott against it.

?You are censoring one of the most important filmmakers in America,? reads a petition being circulated by Democrats.com and signed by more than 20,000 people. ?This is unacceptable in a democracy. As consumers, we are not powerless. We will protest with our wallets ? by boycotting Disney products until you agree to distribute Fahrenheit 9/11.? They?re saying they won?t buy anything produced by Disney, including its films, theme parks, toys, and TV networks.

Personally, I’ve been boycotting Disney for years because of chairman Michael Eisner’s virulent anti-gun activities. I may have to change my position if the liberal boycott takes place.

A few years ago I heard that liberals had organized a boycott of Exxon-Mobile. It seems that Mobile had very relaxed rules for benefits for same-sex partners and when Exxon merged with bought Mobile, they went with Exxon’s rules which said that they would follow the laws in whatever state the couple resided in. Not that I’m against benefits for same-sex couples. In fact, I’m actually for them (and yes, I am a Republican). But this was a case of an organization following existing policy that reflected the local laws. I think that if you want to change the behavior, then change the law. I didn’t see anything wrong with Exxon’s decision and have been buying Exxon gas ever since — my own little buycott to offset some of the boycott.

Oral Suer was sentenced to 2 years and 3 months in prison for stealing nearly half a million dollars from the United Way charity and pension fund. In this case, “prison” will mean a minimum security facility in Virginia.

Personally, I quit giving to United Way long ago, not only because of the theft of funds but also because of the way they disburse their funds. Refusal to support the Boy Scouts, for instance, and for sitting on funds raised for 9/11 victims.

It seems that I’m not the only one:

Despite changes in leadership, the controversy over Suer’s case has hurt the capital-area United Way. After collecting $45 million in pledges in 2001, the charity is headed for a third straight year of raising less than half that amount.

Good!

In the 2002 election cycle, 78% of entertainment industry donations went to Democrats, this year looks to follow along the same lines. A single fundraising gala pulled in $3.2 million for Kerry and another $1 million for the DNC.

The Hollywood reception alone attracted 1,500 people, twice the number originally expected. They each paid $1,000 for a ticket, and then made a donation, typically of $2,000.

But Hollywood is going much further, insidiously weaving anti-Bush rhetoric into their scripts:

Some producers said they were simply raising important questions as part of a larger national debate. Dick Wolf, executive producer of the troika of “Law & Order” series, said his characters’ critiques of Bush were in his programs’ long tradition of equal-opportunity provocation. “Virtually everyone who lives in the lower 48 states at one time or another has been offended by ‘Law & Order’,” he said in a statement. But other producers are more pointed in their questioning than others.

“Why does it have to become unpatriotic to do something that is our inherent right, which is to debate issues?” said Tom Fontana, the creator “Oz” and “Homicide.”

The problem is that they don’t “debate issues”. To encourage debate you must present both sides. By weaving attacks on the administration into scripts you are engaging in propaganda, pure and simple.

As the Union Leader put it:

And that?s why this kind of campaigning is so despicable. To sell the audience art but give them political propaganda instead is to steal their money. These Hollywood lefties are pulling the old bait and switch on America, and they see nothing wrong with it. If they were being honest about it, that would be fine. But they aren?t, and one can see why. As last week?s debut of Air America, the left-wing talk radio network, showed, when liberals honestly sell their political opinions over the airwaves, there are few takers.

In case you’re interested, here are some of the stars you support that attended the fundraiser hosted by Larry David:

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