Thursday 29 September 2016
Corbyn doubtful he can whip MPs to oppose Heathrow expansion
That's outrageous! You mean the MPs would vote in the interest of their constituents rather than in favour of Jeremy's personal views? How dare they?
What has she lost?
Is there anything he gave to another woman that he doesn't still have to give to her?
The opposition to polyandry and polygamy is based solely on jealousy and inheritance.
The opposition to promiscuity has some real health risks, but it is also based largely on jealousy and inheritance. Women fear their man having sex with other women, because it may lead to friendship and hence alienation of assets. Men fear fear their woman having friendships with other men, because it may lead to sex and hence a cuckoo chick.
Yeah! It's all them furriners fault, innit. That pesky 7% punches above its weight.
It is particularly distressing that the Chinese, of all people, are buying into "a Chinatown development" in Liverpool.
ASOS Investigation Claims To Expose The ‘True Cost’ Of Fast Fashion
How erudite: the workers are "pressurised" and, I suppose, "discouragised" too.
Jeremy Corbyn Should Stay As Leader Even After General Election Loss
Because, like Trump supporters, we do not care if he wins, we do not care if he lies,
we do not care if he loses: as long as he whines about the things we whine about.
He should stay leader until he runs out of silly and unworkable solutions.
He should stay leader until the Labour Party is down to a manageable 15 or 20 seats.
He should stay leader until the Labour Party is down to a manageable 15 or 20 seats.
Essex Man is code for Honky.
Her thinly disguised racism will pass; if she were white and said this about another race it would not;
she would be pilloried, if not crucified.
Transgender Broward teen wins right to change birth record from F to M
And, to be fair, they should accommodate trans-racers. Whites who identify with being black or Hispanic (or vice-versa) should be able to change the race on their birth certificates.
They should also amend the date of birth for trans-agers: people who identify with an age different from the number of years they have been on the planet
They should also amend the date of birth for trans-agers: people who identify with an age different from the number of years they have been on the planet
Univ of Michigan Professors Will Face Disciplinary Action for Ignoring ‘Preferred Pronouns
I prefer the pronoun We and the title Your Royal Highness.Although not actually born into royalty, I identify with the aristocracy.
I suppose you could call me a trans-classual.
Trump slams ex-Miss Universe, says 'I saved her job'
Mr pig-snout did a good job there. He saved a mildly chunky woman from being discriminated against because she was less fat than he was (and still is).
Trump slams ex-Miss Universe, says 'I saved her job'
Mr pig-snout did a good job there. He saved a mildly chunky woman from being discriminated against because she was less fat than he was (and still is).
Biggest names in politics?
None of these people are politicians or even political activists.
They are just 1%ers who think America has the best democracy money can buy.
The USA will now be an open target.
Jeremy Corbyn Jokes About Traingate
NUS Leadership Condemned For Making Jewish Students Feel Unsafe In Campus Politics
Our country will be sued left, right and center and they will all say: "you said this was a good idea."
Traingate? Traingate? He did not break into anywhere.
All he did was lie about not being able to get a seat.
Lying is now accepted as a political ploy, breaking and entering is still not okay - just.
All he did was lie about not being able to get a seat.
Lying is now accepted as a political ploy, breaking and entering is still not okay - just.
NUS Leadership Condemned For Making Jewish Students Feel Unsafe In Campus Politics
Why should having an anti-semite as head of the NUS make them feel unsafe?
Keep them talking about historic (30 years ago) child abuse.
It diverts attention from the thousands of children who are being abused today.
What? How dare they. Didn't they realise that his life mattered? (Never mind his victims lives.)
Police could have taken him down with only a few stab wounds apiece and he would still be alive today.
Tuesday 27 September 2016
Greenland's receding icecap to expose top-secret US nuclear project
Wow, what purports to be a news story turns out, on reading, to be a piece of science fiction: what could happen in a possible future.
Nice turn in scary with the "biological, chemical and radioactive waste." (Read old dunnies, refrigerators, carbon paper, diesel and radium dials.)
Still, like much science-fiction, it is a fun read and could possibly even come true if every speculative assumption along the way comes to pass.
Boris Johnson Backs Turkey’s EU Bid After Vote Leave Warned Of Its Impending Membership
Yvette Cooper: We Must Take 500 Lone Child Refugees Before France Closes Calais ‘Jungle’
Baby born from 3 parents a victory for new, controversial procedure
Wow, what purports to be a news story turns out, on reading, to be a piece of science fiction: what could happen in a possible future.
Nice turn in scary with the "biological, chemical and radioactive waste." (Read old dunnies, refrigerators, carbon paper, diesel and radium dials.)
Still, like much science-fiction, it is a fun read and could possibly even come true if every speculative assumption along the way comes to pass.
Well of course he does.
If we are out, what better way to destabilize the rump and make our leaving seem wise.
Because a third-world country like France is incapable of looking after them?
Uh-Oh,get ready for protests against these GM people.
Will GM people be bad or good for humanity?
As with crops, we don't know and don't care: they use GM so we're against them.
As with crops, we don't know and don't care: they use GM so we're against them.
Donald Trump Accuses Lester Holt Of Bias In First Debate
Whine, whine, whine. "I did not do well so it must be someone else's fault."
Opponents thinks this will hurt Trump.
Trump supporters know everything is ALWAYS someone else's fault.
"It’s Time To Stop Calling Black Protesters ‘Unpatriotic’"
But it is okay to say that about white protesters?
Or did you mean"It’s Time To Stop Calling Protesters ‘Unpatriotic’"
Or perhaps that it is time to start reporting all deaths at the hands of the police, not just the black ones.
Sam Allardyce Stands Down As England Manager After Newspaper Sting
Of course he should stand down: it is never wise to tell uncomfortable truths - as the lying little scumbag rats from the Daily Telegraph can confirm.
Angela Rayner Kicks Off ‘Education not Segregation’ Campaign To Oppose Grammars
Opponents thinks this will hurt Trump.
Trump supporters know everything is ALWAYS someone else's fault.
"It’s Time To Stop Calling Black Protesters ‘Unpatriotic’"
But it is okay to say that about white protesters?
Or did you mean"It’s Time To Stop Calling Protesters ‘Unpatriotic’"
Or perhaps that it is time to start reporting all deaths at the hands of the police, not just the black ones.
Sam Allardyce Stands Down As England Manager After Newspaper Sting
Of course he should stand down: it is never wise to tell uncomfortable truths - as the lying little scumbag rats from the Daily Telegraph can confirm.
Angela Rayner Kicks Off ‘Education not Segregation’ Campaign To Oppose Grammars
Of course she is against grammar schools - she is not bright enough to get into one.
Well riots it is then, since Brexit and the end of free movement will NOT reduce net immigration;
it will just mean that fewer of those people coming in will be white Europeans.
it will just mean that fewer of those people coming in will be white Europeans.
Wednesday 21 September 2016
Sheriff Joe Arpaio Still Thinks Obama’s Birth Certificate Is ‘A Forged Document’
Arpaio. Arpaio? Doesn't sound like an American name to me.
Has anyone seen HIS birth certificate; is there any evidence that it was not forged?
Jeremy Corbyn Plans A ‘Minister For Disarmament’ And ‘A Minister For Peace’
How worried should you be about terrorism?
"Donald Trump Says He Gave Up Birtherism ‘To Get On With The Campaign’"
So what? This non-story is simply another excuse for Huffpo to give Trump 6 times the coverage they give to Clinton. Huffpo is working very, very hard to get Trump elected.
Arpaio. Arpaio? Doesn't sound like an American name to me.
Has anyone seen HIS birth certificate; is there any evidence that it was not forged?
Jeremy Corbyn Plans A ‘Minister For Disarmament’ And ‘A Minister For Peace’
George Orwell is laughing in his grave, even if if his prediction was 43 years early.
In the UK, we are not so worried by Islamic terrorism: the Catholics killed far more of us that the Muslims have.
It is just that people should never use anything Nazi to comment on a political position that we like. Nazis should ONLY be used to comment on political positions we don't like.
PS: the use of "shut down" in the headline is a bit unfortunate, suggesting that the rival was trying to curtail freedom of expression - something that the Nazis did. The lead-in headline "gets a history lesson" was much better -- and more accurate, as Leak's return comments clearly show that he was not shut down
"Donald Trump Says He Gave Up Birtherism ‘To Get On With The Campaign’"
So what? This non-story is simply another excuse for Huffpo to give Trump 6 times the coverage they give to Clinton. Huffpo is working very, very hard to get Trump elected.
Tuesday 20 September 2016
Yasmin Le Bon Defends London Fashion Week Models Against Skinny Shaming
Good for her! There is no difference between slamming someone for being skinny and slamming someone for being fat.
Dispatches Momentum Documentary Prompts Group To Release ‘Pointless Deceit’ Video
Doesn't matter.
These people do not CARE that they are being lied to. As long as the leaders are whining about the same things the supporters want to whine about, no one cares how many lies are told.
Ethics? What are they - oh some bourgeios ideas about honesty and integrity, are they?
Pffffuf for ethics: so 20th century. The only relevant question is: "does it SOUND good."
Donald Trump Suggests ‘Freedom Of Expression’ Is Hurting Fight Against Terrorism
Yeah! Who needs the first amendment, when we have the second.
That way, you can just shoot anyone who says something you don't like.
To paraphrase Heinlein: "It makes for a very small, but very polite society."
(Actually, we do believe in freedom of expression, but only for those who agree with us.)
Good for her! There is no difference between slamming someone for being skinny and slamming someone for being fat.
Dispatches Momentum Documentary Prompts Group To Release ‘Pointless Deceit’ Video
Doesn't matter.
These people do not CARE that they are being lied to. As long as the leaders are whining about the same things the supporters want to whine about, no one cares how many lies are told.
Ethics? What are they - oh some bourgeios ideas about honesty and integrity, are they?
Pffffuf for ethics: so 20th century. The only relevant question is: "does it SOUND good."
Donald Trump Suggests ‘Freedom Of Expression’ Is Hurting Fight Against Terrorism
Yeah! Who needs the first amendment, when we have the second.
That way, you can just shoot anyone who says something you don't like.
To paraphrase Heinlein: "It makes for a very small, but very polite society."
(Actually, we do believe in freedom of expression, but only for those who agree with us.)
Thursday 15 September 2016
Obama creates major no-go zone for fishermen in the Atlantic
How dare he protect our fish stocks?
No! Our kids should not learn ANYTHING about Islam.
If we keep them ignorant they'll be more ready to hate and fear, growing up into good little sheeple
John McDonnell And Alastair Campbell Row Over Tony Blair And Jeremy Corbyn
How dare he protect our fish stocks?
Look, there is no reason that our great grandchildren need to eat fish.
Public school tells second graders: Allah loves cleanlinessNo! Our kids should not learn ANYTHING about Islam.
If we keep them ignorant they'll be more ready to hate and fear, growing up into good little sheeple
"....created the environment where no one believed a word a politician said."
No, John, that would be the news media. Modern journalists belive it is their job to skewer all politicians and show them up as untrustworthy, unreliable and incompetent. The only time they will cover a politician telling the truth is if that truth is nasty and hurtful to some person or group. In short, the news media are on a deliberate campaign to destroy democracy while increasing anomie.
No, John, that would be the news media. Modern journalists belive it is their job to skewer all politicians and show them up as untrustworthy, unreliable and incompetent. The only time they will cover a politician telling the truth is if that truth is nasty and hurtful to some person or group. In short, the news media are on a deliberate campaign to destroy democracy while increasing anomie.
Jay Z Describes War On Drugs As ‘Epic Fail’
Jeremy Corbyn And John McDonnell Condemn ‘Hit List’ Of Labour MPs
Hillsborough Disaster: Police Chief David Crompton ‘Unfairly Dismissed’
Trump presents vision for creating 25m jobs
We can get lots of jobs by favoring the 1%: they all need their shoes shined.
I admire Tony Blair for beating Tories, says Tim Farron
He should know: he was on the other side.
We absolutely condemn this action that we asked our supporters to do for us.
Jeremy Corbyn Plummets In Polls As Theresa May Surges
Gosh, down on a full 9 out of ten?
Everyone thought for sure he would only been down on 8 out of 10.
Everyone thought for sure he would only been down on 8 out of 10.
Of course he was unfairly dismissed but that will cut no ice with the lynch mob.
We can get lots of jobs by favoring the 1%: they all need their shoes shined.
No, No, Tim. You don;t understand today's Labour Party: it would have been far better if he had lost and Tories stayed in power: that way we could have blamed them for the modern world.
Labour has never liked Tsiolkowski's famous insight: even if horses had been willing to work twice the hours for half the oats, they still would have been replaced by tractors.
PS: It is also against the received wisdom, Tim. One can not now admire Tony Blair for ANY reason. He is the designated scapegoat that must be driven into the wilderness to atone for all of OUR sins.
Wednesday 14 September 2016
Report Slams Intelligence Failings Ahead Of David Cameron’s Intervention In Libya
Of course it was Cameron's responsibility - one could not expect the Belgians, Canadians Danes, French, Italians, Norwegians, Qataris, Spanish, Americans or NATO to think of anything - and all of these countries would certainly have done whatever Cameron told them to do.
Empire Pie Sparks Fierce Social Media Debate Over ‘Celebrating Colonial Deaths’
I suppose we should also ban Frankfurters and Hamburgers because of the German holocaust, Beef Wellington because of his draconian rule in Iberia, Castellano cheese because of the Inquisition (boycotting Dominican churches for the same reason). Romano cheese is out because of the genocide at Carthage, Charlotte Russe and Russian dressing because of the Circassians, Ukrainians and Tatars. Oh, and forego Ottomans because of Armenians, Assyrians and Maronites, while avoiding all of the Dracula-related castles, hotels and restaurants in Romania.
Who wins from this boundaries fiasco?
We do not need these 650 seats at the trough.
The cuts should go further, taking out 10% (130 seats) in all.
When the rest of government, including the NHS, is being asked to do more with less, there is no reason the fat cats in Parliament should get special coddling.Theresa May Facing Tory Backlash Over Plans To Slash Number Of MPs
Even Tories don't like reducing the number of places at the trough?
The Post Office’s future is in jeopardy – a strike is the only option
The company is in jeopardy.....let's see how badly we can hurt it.
Council Tenants Face ‘80% Tax Rates’ Under Pay-To-Stay Plans
Sadly, the article does not explain how 15% = 80%.
I would sooo loved to have seen the calculations
Of course it was Cameron's responsibility - one could not expect the Belgians, Canadians Danes, French, Italians, Norwegians, Qataris, Spanish, Americans or NATO to think of anything - and all of these countries would certainly have done whatever Cameron told them to do.
Empire Pie Sparks Fierce Social Media Debate Over ‘Celebrating Colonial Deaths’
I suppose we should also ban Frankfurters and Hamburgers because of the German holocaust, Beef Wellington because of his draconian rule in Iberia, Castellano cheese because of the Inquisition (boycotting Dominican churches for the same reason). Romano cheese is out because of the genocide at Carthage, Charlotte Russe and Russian dressing because of the Circassians, Ukrainians and Tatars. Oh, and forego Ottomans because of Armenians, Assyrians and Maronites, while avoiding all of the Dracula-related castles, hotels and restaurants in Romania.
Who wins from this boundaries fiasco?
We do not need these 650 seats at the trough.
The cuts should go further, taking out 10% (130 seats) in all.
When the rest of government, including the NHS, is being asked to do more with less, there is no reason the fat cats in Parliament should get special coddling.Theresa May Facing Tory Backlash Over Plans To Slash Number Of MPs
Even Tories don't like reducing the number of places at the trough?
The Post Office’s future is in jeopardy – a strike is the only option
The company is in jeopardy.....let's see how badly we can hurt it.
Council Tenants Face ‘80% Tax Rates’ Under Pay-To-Stay Plans
Sadly, the article does not explain how 15% = 80%.
I would sooo loved to have seen the calculations
Monday 12 September 2016
Jeremy Corbyn To Reverse Theresa May’s Grammar School PlansNeither side of this argument gives a toss about the kids - it is all ideology and buzz words.
What's best for the children? Who cares: we're talking about votes here!
Mo Farah ‘Humiliated’ At US Airport Says Wife TaniaOooooh! Didn't get preferential treatment, Mrs Farah?.
What's a relative's stardom for if you can't get special treatment?
Labour’s Emily Thornberry Accuses Sky’s Dermot Murnaghan Of Sexism
Of course it is sexist to make a stupid woman look stupid.
Had he done the same to a man (as he has in the past) it would not be sexist, as it is okay to make a stupid man look stupid.
Had a female interviewer made this stupid woman look stupid, it would still be sexist, as it is always sexist to make a stupid woman look stupid.
Richard Reed Slams Liam Fox’s ‘Disgusting’ ‘Fat And Lazy’ CommentsOh Boy! More let's-you-and-him-fight. Thanks Huffpo and Chris York:
that is SOOO much more satisfying than actually covering the issue - which is far too much work.
This kind of non-story is a whole lot easier and can be written by any hack,
Here’s The Bad News The Government May Have Wanted You To Miss This WeekNow could you print the stories that Huffpo did not want us to know about this week:
the ones where people co-operated and made things go right?
Had he done the same to a man (as he has in the past) it would not be sexist, as it is okay to make a stupid man look stupid.
Had a female interviewer made this stupid woman look stupid, it would still be sexist, as it is always sexist to make a stupid woman look stupid.
Richard Reed Slams Liam Fox’s ‘Disgusting’ ‘Fat And Lazy’ CommentsOh Boy! More let's-you-and-him-fight. Thanks Huffpo and Chris York:
that is SOOO much more satisfying than actually covering the issue - which is far too much work.
This kind of non-story is a whole lot easier and can be written by any hack,
Here’s The Bad News The Government May Have Wanted You To Miss This WeekNow could you print the stories that Huffpo did not want us to know about this week:
the ones where people co-operated and made things go right?
Saturday 10 September 2016
House passes legislation that allows families of 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia
British-Iranian Mother Zaghari-Ratcliffe Imprisoned For Five Years On ‘Secret’ Charges
Liam Fox Comments Labels Business Executives ‘Lazy’
It Took Facebook 2 Weeks To Figure Out The Difference Between War Photo & Kiddie Porn
Does this mean that Iraqi's will be able to sue the USA for collateral damage?
What nice and civilized people the Iranians are.
California Takes An Unprecedented Stand Against Climate Change
Trump Lead Story
"...rebates on environmentally friendly products like solar panels mostly benefit upper-middle-class and wealthy families."
Because the poor do not benefit from a cleaner environment with lower carbon emissions?
Because the poor do not benefit from a cleaner environment with lower carbon emissions?
This is like saying: welfare programs mostly benefit the poor and not the rest of the community.
Gosh! A non-ideological judge who decides based on the law rather than on his personal preferences. How refreshing!
PS: The confederate flag is the quintessential emblem of a loser. It represents a cause that lost militarily, politically and morally. It is still flown almost exclusively by losers today. I do not object to it, as it helps me identify who the losers are.
I see Huffpo gives more coverage to Trump than to Clinton in today's edition again (10 Trump stories to 4 on Clinton), just as it does in every edition. Do you think their anti-Trump stance is a ruse and they secretly want him to be president? Why else would their coverage tally be so lop-sided in his favour?
Column: Why a $15 minimum wage should scare us
I worry about anyone who argues that "McDonalds are ATOMIZING like they already did in Europe" This kind of carelessness makes me suspect the author is equally careless about other aspects of his arguments.
Still, if you think that a tax on tobacco will reduce smoking and a tax on gasoline will reduce driving, but a tax on employment will not reduce jobs, you could be a Democrat.
I worry about anyone who argues that "McDonalds are ATOMIZING like they already did in Europe" This kind of carelessness makes me suspect the author is equally careless about other aspects of his arguments.
Still, if you think that a tax on tobacco will reduce smoking and a tax on gasoline will reduce driving, but a tax on employment will not reduce jobs, you could be a Democrat.
Uh Oh, He'll be in trouble. One should not tell the truth about others.
PS: What a stupid lead-in: He was not "caught" doing anything, he gave a speech.
He did not "undermine" anyone, although he did harangue them. Why does Huffpo always take the nastiest interpretation possible? Are they deliberately TRYING to increase anomie and mistrust of politicians? Do they not care that they make our world a worse place to live, as long as they can sell advertising?
PS: What a stupid lead-in: He was not "caught" doing anything, he gave a speech.
He did not "undermine" anyone, although he did harangue them. Why does Huffpo always take the nastiest interpretation possible? Are they deliberately TRYING to increase anomie and mistrust of politicians? Do they not care that they make our world a worse place to live, as long as they can sell advertising?
It took Huffpo three weeks to realize that they could make a let's-you-and-him-fight story out of this.
Friday 9 September 2016
Obama administration shuts down one prison camp at Guantanamo Bay
About time! This place cost us a fortune, simply to coddle wannabe terrorist and to placate some scaredy-cat Republicans who peed their pants every time anyone suggested that these little prisoners be put in a US jail.
Sensationalism sells and, in "a competitive marketplace, the economic basis of which is crumbling," it is understandable that "it pays to be outrageous" - both for the politician and the publisher.
We will fail as a nation if we only get the top 15-20% of our children achieving well."
Far better to have only 10-12% achieving well, as at present.
Far better to have only 10-12% achieving well, as at present.
Sunday 4 September 2016
Chris Wallace Won’t Call Candidates On Their Lies During Last Presidential Debate
His job is to keep the broadcast to time and be a patsy. It is about all we can expect of him. He would need help to recognize a lie and would need to grow a pair to be able to confront anyone on it.
Theresa May Breaks With Brexiteers Over Immigration ProposalsActually, she did not "break with Brexiteers." She did not say she was opposed to a points-based system, merely that her experience showed that points-based systems do not work all that well.
However, there would be no conflict - no lets-you-and-him-fight - in reporting that, so Huffpo creates the news by spinning this as a conflict among ministers. They think they can sell more advertising that way, so the truth goes out the window.
Jeremy Corbyn Supporters Believe MI5 Spies Are Working To Undermine Him
They also believe that the moon is made of green cheese, that the world is flat and that a majority of Labour voters opposed the Iraq war.
His job is to keep the broadcast to time and be a patsy. It is about all we can expect of him. He would need help to recognize a lie and would need to grow a pair to be able to confront anyone on it.
Theresa May Breaks With Brexiteers Over Immigration ProposalsActually, she did not "break with Brexiteers." She did not say she was opposed to a points-based system, merely that her experience showed that points-based systems do not work all that well.
However, there would be no conflict - no lets-you-and-him-fight - in reporting that, so Huffpo creates the news by spinning this as a conflict among ministers. They think they can sell more advertising that way, so the truth goes out the window.
Jeremy Corbyn Supporters Believe MI5 Spies Are Working To Undermine Him
They also believe that the moon is made of green cheese, that the world is flat and that a majority of Labour voters opposed the Iraq war.
As Corbyn will keep the left out of power for another decade or two, MI5 will be supporting him, not undermining him.
Sunday Times Accused Of ‘Sexist’ Feature On Childless Women Politicians
Had they done a feature about childless male politicians, that would NOT have been sexist.
Repeat after me: Anything that can be construed as female negative is sexist.
Anything male negative is justice.
Repeat after me: Anything that can be construed as female negative is sexist.
Anything male negative is justice.
Saturday 3 September 2016
Amazon And Starbucks Pay ‘Less Tax Than A Sausage Stall’, Country’s Chancellor Says
Then why were Austria's laws written that way, Herr Chancellor?
You all thought it would only benefit your fat-cat mates at the top of Austrian and European businesses and would not apply to American multi-nationals?
Uh Oh, Clarkson is going to get int trouble - he's telling the truth again
Friday 2 September 2016
The Barnumization of America
We live in one of the most partisan times in living
memory (see articles by the Pew Research Center and Politics & City Life) with people defining themselves by their political beliefs and spouting
disrespect, even hatred, for those who do not share them. We have not
yet reached Talibanization (if you don't agree with me, you deserve to die) but
we are heading there.
How did this come about? It is the semi-deliberate result of the way our news media cover the world.
First, news media focus on the sensational negatives and on conflicts, because that draws more audience and hence lets them sell more advertising. This produces a biased and warped picture of the world that says things are much worse than they really are. The average person has become fearful because he is told, daily, that the world is a fearful and horrible place.
Second, the news media have discovered that targeting and pandering to a niche is more profitable than trying to be objective and reach a general audience. (See Turow: Breaking Up America) Ever fewer outlets intend their audience to be "everyone" while an ever growing percentage look to attract advertisers by specific psychographics that build a smaller but more defined and more loyal audience.
Third, the fragmentation of news audiences means there are fewer dollars to support staff. To survive, news outlets need to employ fewer and/or less-well-paid reporters. Reporters need to produce more work to make a living, creating content for print, broadcast and on-line outlets, leaving them less time to devote to any given story. (see Jean-Marie Charon and Vineet Kaul )
Combine these three trends and we have news media that deliberately fan the flames of partisan enmity. Let's-you-and-him-fight is the easiest and cheapest story to write: requiring very little reporting skills and no investigation time. Politics are the best source of Let's-you-and-him-fight, ever since political scientists discovered that it can be easier to get people to vote against someone than to get them to vote for someone. (see Journalists Resource)
Presented with spin (obviously favouring one side of the fight) the news outlets confirm the opinions of their target audience, increase the enmity that audience has for other niches and makes such enmity seem legitimate, respectable, even desirable.
Thus we have a proliferation of news outlets who make money by getting us to fear the world and to fear, dislike and disrespect each other. Once the province of rabid radio talk-shows, this is now main-stream "journalism."
How did this come about? It is the semi-deliberate result of the way our news media cover the world.
First, news media focus on the sensational negatives and on conflicts, because that draws more audience and hence lets them sell more advertising. This produces a biased and warped picture of the world that says things are much worse than they really are. The average person has become fearful because he is told, daily, that the world is a fearful and horrible place.
Second, the news media have discovered that targeting and pandering to a niche is more profitable than trying to be objective and reach a general audience. (See Turow: Breaking Up America) Ever fewer outlets intend their audience to be "everyone" while an ever growing percentage look to attract advertisers by specific psychographics that build a smaller but more defined and more loyal audience.
Third, the fragmentation of news audiences means there are fewer dollars to support staff. To survive, news outlets need to employ fewer and/or less-well-paid reporters. Reporters need to produce more work to make a living, creating content for print, broadcast and on-line outlets, leaving them less time to devote to any given story. (see Jean-Marie Charon and Vineet Kaul )
Combine these three trends and we have news media that deliberately fan the flames of partisan enmity. Let's-you-and-him-fight is the easiest and cheapest story to write: requiring very little reporting skills and no investigation time. Politics are the best source of Let's-you-and-him-fight, ever since political scientists discovered that it can be easier to get people to vote against someone than to get them to vote for someone. (see Journalists Resource)
Presented with spin (obviously favouring one side of the fight) the news outlets confirm the opinions of their target audience, increase the enmity that audience has for other niches and makes such enmity seem legitimate, respectable, even desirable.
Thus we have a proliferation of news outlets who make money by getting us to fear the world and to fear, dislike and disrespect each other. Once the province of rabid radio talk-shows, this is now main-stream "journalism."
- FOX News sells a message that liberals in
general and Democrats in particular are stupid, venal and deliberately out
to bankrupt the country while ensuring that every aspect of our lives is
controlled by government: a society where, if it is not forbidden, it is
compulsory.
- MSNBC sells a message that conservatives in
general and Republicans in particular are uncaring, let 'em eat
cake, sexist xenophobes trying to make us into a third-world country
where America's children can starve and choke on pollution, as long as it
helps the rich keep getting richer.
- The Huffington Post runs openly partisan campaigns that vary depending on market, with massive over-coverage given to articles condemning the right-wing Trump in the US and the left-wing Corbyn in the UK
- The few remaining respectable non-partisan
outlets, those that are more interested in truth than in profit (e.g. the
PBS Newshour, network news, AP/UPI, etc.), are castigated by both sides: conservatives saying they are
liberal pawns, progressives saying they are right-wing tools.
The
vitriol is further fanned by the "blogosphere" and
"twitterati," where comments on the news are dominated by trolls at the
extremes of the audience, simply because they are more committed, more likely
to enjoy shooting their mouths off and less likely to hold to polite discourse.
Many of these extreme comments are now covered as if they were news : a
pre-written let's-you-and-him-fight, requiring only a cut-and-paste button.
In short,
our news outlets are increasing anomie and making our country a worse place to
live. All just to cut costs and sell advertising. And we, rather than
objecting, protesting or voting with our feet, continue to lap it up. As
they would say in Australia: P.T. Barnum was not wrong, mate. (Okay, okay, we know he never actually said "there's a sucker born every minute," but everyone thinks he did and that is good enough for FOX, MSNBC and Huffpo)
Thursday 1 September 2016
Donald Trump Just Cranked Up The Volume On Immigration
Absolutely outrageous! How dare he ask that people obey the laws of the country the wish to live in? Doesn't he realize that people should only obey those laws they find convenient and any other laws should be ignored? What kind of racist scum is he who thinks all people should obey the same laws, regardless of their ethnicity? Can't he see that Hispanics must be treated differently and that it is discriminatory to treat them the same as everyone else?
Call For Crackdown On ‘Fat Cat’ Pay
We need big government to tell businesses how to run themselves because government is so much better at it than commercial enterprise. There should be laws that say no business can decide anything on their own without government approving any decision. That will make us more competitive, innit?
The Government Will Hit Air Pollution Targets 10 Years Late, Report Say
sOh, but the Kyoto protocol was SO righteous. No one actually met the targets they signed up for, but it made us all feel ever so much better about ourselves.
Burka Ban Backed By 57% Of The British Public, YouGov Survey Find
Burkahs are a deliberate affront to our local cultural values, much like a western woman entering a mosque bare-headed in shorts and a tank top, but there still should be no legal "ban." In a free society, one should be allowed to be as deliberately offensive as one likes, including pointing out how abominable the prophet Mohammed was.
'Creepy' man caught checking out Taylor SwiftHe was "caught" looking exactly where her clothes were designed to draw his eyes.
What a pig!
How dare he look at what she wanted him to look at?
Florida Declares Emergency As Tropical Storm Menaces Atlantic Coast
Menaces Atlantic coast? It is in the bloody Carribean Gulf, Huffpo!
The feeder bands might drop some rain of the Atlantic coast, but that is it.
Did any of your journalists actually go to school?
There are also trans-racials who feel they don't look very black (or very white).
They are faced with the same dilemma as trans-sexuals who don't think they look pretty.
They are faced with the same dilemma as trans-sexuals who don't think they look pretty.
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]
